Canadian Student Magazine - 01 by Canadian Student Magazine

ISSUE: 1 • FALL/WINTER 2008 • CAD 6.95

Canadian Universities: An Overview 18 Ways to Go International Higher Education in Australia Fashion in Paris

56698 27896

The MBA Today

Law Studies in the UK

Message From

THE EDITOR It is with pleasure that we bring you the inaugural issue of Canadian Student Magazine as well as kick off our complementary website – www.GoStudy.ca Both this semi-annual magazine and our site are designed to fill a gap and provide information on educational and experiential learning, both in Canada and abroad. We know that Canadians and our many international visitors here love to learn and explore, be it by studying French in Québec, embarking on a degree program in another province, or working on a charitable project; or by going further afield and travelling to Italy to learn Italian, New Zealand for teacher training, the USA for naturopathic medicine or to Bolivia to work as an international volunteer. Whatever your whim, the world is indeed your oyster – more so than ever before. Canadian Student Magazine brings to you the experience and wisdom of professionals from within Canada and from around the world who are associated with educational and experiential learning and travel. Our content is contributed by these professionals, who wish to share with you the myriad options available and the specific suggestions they have to help you plan your next step. So each article is written from a different perspective, in a different voice, about different topics.

It is with great pleasure – and importance – that I highlight UNICEF Canada’s Spread the Net/Un filet d’espoir Student Challenge. This program encourages youth from around the country to team up and raise funds to buy insecticide-treated bed nets for families in Rwanda and Liberia, to help prevent the spread of malaria through disease-carrying mosquitos. Read the articles and see what students in Canada have done in the past to help save thousands of families from this deadly disease, and learn how you can take part. Canadian Student Magazine is donating a portion of revenue to this worthy cause, and we challenge you to rise to the occasion and do what you can to generously support this and UNICEF Canada’s many vital programs. I hope that we pique your interest and that you look out for the next issue in March, 2009. In the meantime, if you have experience to share or valuable editorial to contribute, get in touch with us. As well, we encourage you to check back with www.GoStudy.ca frequently to get the latest news on educational and experiential learning. We will be launching a chat forum and blog section on the site by the end of the year, too, so you can get and give tips, ask questions from your peers online, and share your travel and learing experiences. So enjoy the Fall/Winter 2008 edition of Canadian Student Magazine and get those wheels turning!

Broaden your horizons. Open your mind. Plan your future. In this issue of Canadian Student Magazine, you will read about Canadian higher education options and the tools available to help you choose a school and course of study; how to apply to a UK undergraduate program; what the difference is between higher education institution types in Holland; how to get the most out of work experience programs in Australia and South Africa; the importance of Canadian Liberal Arts programs; how to transfer between a community college in California to one of the top state universities – and lots more. You will also hear from peers who have ventured out either during a gap year, career break or just for fun, and will be inspired by their enthusiasm. Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

Anita Kuehnel, Editor/Publisher Canadian Student Magazine

Anita Kuehnel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Linguistics from Simon Fraser University, Vancouver (1989). Since then, she worked in the Canadian banking sector for 12 years, half in management and half in marketing and HR, after which she moved to the rewarding field of international education. She has been working as a marketing professional in this area for nearly ten years, with time divided between Canada and Turkey. She is bilingual in English and German and has strong skills in French, Turkish and Spanish. She loves to learn, travel and explore – in the true Canadian spirit! Study In Canada • Study Abroad

INDEX

4-5

NEWS

6-7

STUDENT TESTIMONIALS

An Unforgettable Trip To France CANADA

10-11

Canada’s Universities - An Overview

12-13

Universités Canadiennes - un Aperçu

18-19

Why Study in British Columbia?

20-21

Exploring a Liberal Arts and Sciences Education

23 24-25

UNICEF: Un Filet d’Espoir Manitoba, Canada - Education Excellence AUSTRALIA

26-27 29

Australia Offers World Class Higher Education Perth Education City NEW ZEALAND

31-32

Get a ‘Hands-On’ Education in New Zealand SOUTH AFRICA

34-35

Cape Town and South Africa: Through the Eyes of an International Intern

UNICEF: Spread the Net MEXICO

38-39

The Flavours Of Mexico

rEvolve EPS Holdings Ltd. Director and Owner: Anita Kuehnel Chief Editor and Publisher: Anita Kuehnel anita@canadianstudentmagazine.com Assistant Editor/Manager: Sheila Fee sheila@canadianstudentmagazine.com

Consultant: Savaş Akar We thank the following individuals and education bodies for their editorial contributions: Ava Vanderstarren, Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC), Hon. Murray Coell (Minister of Advanced Education and Labour), Angela Heck, Ivana Ljubic, Sarah Houde, Government of Manitoba, Victoria Heron,

FINLAND 42-43

Finland - A Natural Choice

44-45

Finland’s Greatest Investment HOLLAND

46-48

Expand Your Horizons in Holland GERMANY

50-53

Study Options Abound in Germany

54-55

Architecture Students On the Road FRANCE

56-57

Studying Fashion in Paris - Making the Dream a Reality UNITED KINGDOM

58-61

Education UK Innovative - Individual - Inspirational

62-63

Law Studies in the UK

64-65

Application Procedure for Undergraduate Studies in the UK

68-70

Education UK Innovative - Individual - Inspirational (en Français) USA

72-74

U.S Colleges and Universities Want You

76-78

California Here I Come!

80-81

Washington State - A World Leader in Education

84-85

Internship Opportunities: The Washington Centre

86-87

Washington Centre for Internships and Academic Seminars (en Français)

88-91

THE MBA TODAY

94-95

Eighteen Ways to Help You Go International

Perth Education City, Michelle Waitzman, Richard Rubenstein, Estela Salas Silva, CIMO, Laura Ojanen, NUFFIC, DAAD, Megan Brenn-White, Parsons Paris, Liane Fraser, Dr. Oliver Quick, Darren Barker, Luz Betancur, Brian Davey, David B. Woodward, Sonia Ziadé, Richard Montauk, Jean-Marc Hachey.

Puzzles

Graphic Design: IQ Design A. Ender Birer Printer: Şan Ofset Istanbul, Turkey Advertising and Sales: Anita Kuehnel ad@canadianstudentmagazine.com

rEvolve EPS Holdings Ltd. 106-310 West 3rd Street North Vancouver, BC V7M 1G4 Canada Tel: +1 604 986 7704 Fax: +1 604 986 3047 info@canadianstudentmagazine.com www.canadianstudentmagazine.com www.revolve-eps.com

© 2008 Canadian Student Magazine™. All rights reserved. For editorial matters, please contact the editor. The views of contributors do not necessarily reflect those of the publishers. The publishers cannot be held responsible for loss or damage resulting from use of any information contained within this publication. Canadian Student Magazine is published semi-annually. Printed in Turkey.

T HF FOT H E

S S E R P

New Zealand offers international PhD students the opportunity to study at our universities for same fees as domestic students! This could save you tens of thousands of dollars, and give you the chance to enjoy the great research facilities at our eight universities. There are also scholarships available for top-notch PhD students, which could allow you to study in New Zealand for free! Start planning your New Zealand Education today. Check out our website for details: www.newzealandeducated.com

DAAD Opportunities for Canadian students at the University of Bristol: Scholarships Academic merit based scholarships are available to undergraduate and postgraduate students from Canada. Scholarships are awarded as a deduction from the total tuition fee. Student Ambassador Scheme The International Office has a team of Ambassadors who show visitors around the university and answer queries from prospective students. This year we have 2 students from Canada on the scheme. Email: iro@bristol.ac.uk Website: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/international/ recruit/

Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst German Academic Exchange Service

Did you know that DAAD’s publication Grants for Study and Research in Germany 2009/2010 is now available in French as well as English? English copies can be ordered by visiting our Publications Order Form (http://www.daad. org/?p=publications) or by downloading a PDF from that page. The French version is available only in PDF format, and can be downloaded from the Publications page as well. The booklet offers details on all of DAAD’s undergraduate, graduate, PhD & postdoc and faculty grants, with updated information on application requirements and terms of awards. New this year: The age limit for our undergraduate programs has been abolished; eligibility for graduate programs is now defined in terms of time passed since the last academic degree or ABD status was earned. Further information on eligibility can be found in Grants for Study and Research in Germany and on our website.

DCT’s Advanced Diploma in European Culinary Arts program has just been awarded “Exemplary Program Status” accreditation by the American Culinary Federation! Canadian students who enroll either in DCT’s Hospitality Management or Culinary Arts programs can qualify for an instant scholarship of CHF 500- (approx CAD 490-). Just apply directly to DCT online at www.dct.ch and enter “Canadian Student Magazine” in the box at the end of the form that asks how you heard about DCT.

Get the latest news –without having to call Europe! The New York City office of the 12 public universities of the German state of Hessen reaches out to students, academics and higher education institutions in Canada and the United States. Find the right study abroad program or graduate degree (in English or German) or get answers to your questions about life as a student or researcher in Germany’s most centrally-located state. From the bustling and international city of Frankfurt to fairy-tale university towns, there are programs and possibilities for everyone. Visit www.hessen-universities.org or write info@hessen-universities.org for more information.

Study In Canada • Study Abroad

Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

The University of Essex has announced the establishment of the Essex Business School. Bringing together our long-standing academic strengths into specialist centres of Accounting, Finance, Management and Entrepreneurship, the Essex Business School will offer Bachelors, Masters and research degrees at both the Colchester and Southend campuses. There will be a special emphasis, in line with the University’s mission, on social responsibility within business and, among other new developments, a suite of new MBA program are planned for launch in September 2009. www.essex.ac.uk

Home to many Canadian students and alumni, Bastyr University is the perfect place to study natural health. Come visit our lush campus near Seattle, Washington! At “Evening at Bastyr” on Thursday, November 20, meet faculty and students and learn about our exceptional undergraduate and graduate programs. Interested in naturopathic medicine? Don’t miss “Bastyr Experience” on Friday, November 21, a day-long “taste” of our naturopathic medicine doctoral program. Can’t attend? See where we’ll travel next: www.bastyr.edu/Admissions/recruit.asp

International students rate Newcastle University seventh in the world A survey of over 67,000 students from 221 countries placed Newcastle University seventh in the world for the quality of its international student experience. In the latest International Student Barometer survey, Newcastle’s performance was consistently ranked above average. Out of 84 institutions, Newcastle achieved the following rankings:

• 1st amongst its comparator group, the Russell

Are you interested in issues of GLOBAL HEALTH & SOCIAL JUSTICE? Then join the Student University Network for Social & International Health (SUNSIH-Canada), a national network of all students participating in activities and projects in global health at our 10th Annual National Conference, October 24 – 25, 2008, held at the University of Ottawa. This event precedes the Canadian Conference on International Health (www.csih.org), a joint event between the Canadian Society for International Health, and the Canadian Coalition for Global Health Research (www.ccghr.ca). Theme: “Global Health At Home & Abroad” Cost: $25 Registration opens September 1, 2008 Applications NOW OPEN for student poster presentations, student group booths, community/ NGO booths, and exhibitions with themes related to global health. For more information: www.sunsih.ca general@sunsih.ca

Study in Perth… the truly the authentic Australian experience! Perth, Western Australia, is rated one of the world’s most liveable cities. The Mediterranean climate, relatively low population and minimal traffic congestion have resulted in perfect blue skies and a pollution-free environment. Western Australia has the lowest unemployment in the country, which means international students will have no trouble finding a part-time job.

Group • 4th for the welcome given to international students • 5th for the quality of the careers service • 7th for the overall international student experience

Perth has welcomed international students for decades, and is one of the leading Australian destinations for those wanting to gain a world-class education. Canadian students will find everything they need to achieve their potential - all in a city famed for its friendliness!

www.newcastle.ac.uk

www.pertheducationcity.com.au

Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

Study In Canada • Study Abroad

STUDENT TESTIMONIALS

STUDENT TESTIMONIALS Bastyr University changed my life. The University has a sense of community that I have never experienced before and I have really flourished here. One of the best parts of my education is treating patients at the teaching clinic and seeing the positive effects of natural medicine. I explored other schools, but visiting Bastyr’s campus really made a difference. I haven’t looked back since.

What attracted me to Germany was the country’s rich culture and its central location in Europe, as well as the high academic reputation of German universities. I know that my experiences in Germany will have a positive impact on my future, and will help me to realize my professional goals.

What made you choose to come to Essex? Europe is filled with history. London, one of the largest artistic centres in the world, is only an hour away by train. I settled in really quickly. There are new people to meet around every corner; you just have to take the initiative to introduce yourself.

Justin Waghray (University of Calgary/ Universität Stuttgart)

What would you say to a student who was thinking of studying abroad at Essex? Join up for as much as possible, see as much as possible and meet as many people as possible. There’s so much made available to the students here, take advantage of it.

Anna Evershed, Candidate, Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (‘09), Bastyr University

Summer 2007 was, without question, a watershed in my life. On the plane leaving Bolivia I wrote this poem to grapple with the essence of my volunteer experience as only poetry can: I’m leaving that which I can never leave, that which will never leave me. Such is the physics of love. Thanks to Volunteer Bolivia, the Quiroga’s, and especially, CAIC youth – you made possible one of the best experiences of my life. Aaron Haddad, Toronto, Canada Volunteer Centro de Apoyo Integral Comunitario (CAIC) info@volunteerbolivia.org or www.volunteerbolivia.org

The University of Bristol was always one of my top choices, but once I visited, I was sold. Bristol is such a beautiful and vibrant city. Ten minutes from Bath, two hours from London, and with an airport that connects you to the greatest cities in Europe, it is an ideal location for students. Add to that historic buildings, friendly locals, and a great nightlife, and you have a brilliant place to study and live. Charlotte Currie 8

Study In Canada • Study Abroad

I know that by attending DCT International Hotel & Business Management School I am receiving one of the best educations in the world. Studying at DCT is giving me great social and cultural opportunities to improve my awareness and sense of the world. DCT’s international student body receives excellence in academic programs, which the graduates have turned into an amazing reputation for success within management levels of companies throughout the world. I have no doubt that when I look for a job after graduation, my studies at DCT will give me an advantage in the job market. Doa Demirsu, Canada

Shannon Dyck

I came to Newcastle University on an exchange with my home University in Canada. The transition and application process was very easy. I have enjoyed the experience of being an international student at Newcastle and would recommend to anyone considering it to go ahead and apply. Newcastle is a very lively place to live with lots of things to do and places to go. Lisa from Ontario, Canada

I moved to New Zealand two years ago to begin my doctorate in Biomechanical Engineering. At the time, my desire to travel the world was strong, as was my desire to study at post-graduate level. An opening to study intervertebral disc mechanics at the University of Auckland seemed like a perfect fit. And it has been. New Zealand is a wonderful place to study. Both the professors and research facilities at the university are great. The multicultural dynamic of Auckland is fantastic, and the landscapes and outdoor activities of this country are second only to one – Canada of course.

The Hessen International Summer University 2008 at PhilippsUniversität Marburg was a tremendous experience. There was never a dull moment – I learned a lot about EU politics and economics, improved my language skills significantly, experienced German culture, met great people from all over the world and had a lot of fun doing it. The cultural events and excursions were well organized and allowed us to experience traditional and contemporary German culture. I would highly recommend this program to anyone with an interest in German language or culture or just wants to study abroad. Check out Marburg and experience a great program!

Sam Veres University of Auckland PhD student

Tyler Peterson Education Major University of Alberta in Edmonton Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

I found myself in a close community and was pleasantly surprised at the facilities and the friendly and accessible instructors, students and support staff. The landscapes in Finland seem to be made up of neverending forests and lakes. It’s a wonderful feeling seeing the sun rise across the lakes on my way to school and I have no hesitation referring others to study in such a beautiful and friendly community. Samuel Rahkola, Canada, is studying International Business at HAMK

For the second consecutive year, Canada’s International Student of the Year comes from Manitoba. Manitoba student Alex Anton of Brazil was Canada’s 2007 winner and this year, Ms. Leytisha Jack, a University of Manitoba student from St. Vincent and the Grenadines captured the 2008 International Student of the Year Award. “In a nutshell the schooling experience is great here. International students are looked out for and can soon fit in. My experience here in Winnipeg has been terrific.” Leytisha Jack, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, 2008 International Student of the Year Award Winner

Doing an MBA degree at UCW was one of the best career decisions I have made. As a mature student, taking two years away from work was not an option. The 12 month fast track program has given me the degree and tools I need to be successful in my business career. The small class size was fantastic, and the international makeup of the MBA class has given me an incredible global network of professionals. Andy Bernhart, Canada University Canada West

Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

I am a Canadian student working towards a Graduate Diploma of Education in Perth. I really enjoys my course and it is nice to have both Australian and international students studying together at the same time. Being here is an excellent opportunity to travel and study at the same time. You learn a lot about yourself and you become a stronger person. You get to meet interesting people and make friends from all around the world. The added bonus is you also get a degree from a great school!

The Senior Status course at just two years in length still manages to cover all the relevant requirements at a standard far above my expectations. I knew the law school had a five star research rating, but did not anticipate such high quality teaching. The professors here are approachable, extremely intelligent and passionate about what they do. I have no doubts that after studying at Queen Mary I will have both a valuable and world-class degree.

STUDENT TESTIMONIALS

My path to HAMK began when I decided to come to Finland to do my military service. Although I had never really spent any significant time in Finland, it is part of being a Finnish citizen. During my time in the service I decided that Finland might be a nice place to study, so I asked around and heard about HAMK University of Applied Sciences.

Jennifer Watts Canadian Student, studying for LLB

Raena Worrell

I was only one percent off getting into my chosen University course; PIBT was the first option for me, as I wanted to do ECU’s Photo Media degree. It was perfect, the same course in first year but smaller classes. I graduated three years ago; I am now a photographer and assistant manager for a Photo Media company. PIBT was a great start as it prepared me for university and what was to come in the future.

Canada International Student at Scottsdale Community College, Arizona, U.S.A. My experience at Scottsdale Community College has been wonderful! The professors and staff here really care and try to help as much as possible. The quality of education here is excellent! I am taking university level courses toward my nursing degree but have small class sizes with a lot of interaction with my professors. Plus, I get to do it on a beautiful campus that has 300 days of sun a year!

Daniela Fego - Australian Chanda Kim from Ontario

Coming from a non-business undergraduate degree and having no prior work experience, one of my first attractions to this program was how it is designed for people like me. While there is certainly value in having work experience before pursuing an MBA, Texas Tech’s program opens the door for those of us who wish to continue our education immediately after completing an undergraduate degree. In the class room, students are exposed to both tried-and-true teaching methods from some professors, as well as innovative and exciting approaches from others. I consider my time spent in this program to be a very valuable investment in myself.”

University Canada West has an MBA program that achieves the current organizational requirements, as well as the entrepreneurial expectancies for a competitive advantage in our global community. Personally, and as an international student, I have learned and developed new skills applicable to my day-to-day philosophy through the help of my colleagues and the UCW highlyqualified team. Jorge González Ancira, Mexico

Corey D. Holliman MBA 2008

Study In Canada • Study Abroad

An Unforgettable Trip

to France

On March 16, 2008, we, along with eight others, left Vancouver for Paris. We stayed in Paris and then eventually made our way to the French Riviera. In Paris we saw the Notre Dame and also went inside the huge cathedral. We took a city tour around and saw the major sights. The tour took us to Jardin du Luxembourg (now government buildings), Place Vendôme, Les Invalides, Opera Garnier and Place de la Concorde (the spot where the guillotine killed thousands during the revolution). We also drove by the Eiffel Tower and stopped at L’Arc de Triomphe. The rest of the afternoon our group went to Versailles, which is where Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette lived before the French Revolution. The palace is breathtaking and really showed the lifestyles that royalty enjoyed. On our last night in Paris we went up the Eiffel Tower, all the way to the top level. From here you could observe the whole city and the river Seine as far as the eye could see. It was unbelievable. We were so high up that there was a light snow gently falling, which turned to rain before it hit the ground below. In Paris we experienced riding the métro along with other tourists and the citizens that were on their way to work or back home. Our last main attraction was visiting the Louvre Museum and seeing all of the painting and artefacts.

Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

We saw Mona Lisa smile at us and the statue Venus de Milo. Also, in the Egyptian Exhibits there was a mummy from ancient times. When it was time to head down to the French Riviera we took the highspeed TGV train. We zipped along the countryside at over 300 km/h and got to Avignon very quickly. In this medieval town there is a famous bridge that has only four arches left. At this point our group sang the wellknown song “Sur le Pont D’Avignon.” In the city of Nîmes we visited an ancient amphitheatre that is similar to the Coliseum in Rome, but is a smaller version. We were taken to the Pont du Gard aqueduct, which was also built in Roman times. The architecture is simply remarkable and is in astonishingly good condition considering that it was built over 2,000 years ago. The last four nights of our trip was in a hotel in Cannes. This city hosts the Cannes Film Festival every May. There was a beautiful beach and many fancy hotels and shops right along the water. We saw the red carpet where the film festival is hosted. From Cannes we would go out to other cities. In Nice we walked along Promenade des Anglais and shopped at the many boutiques and souvenir shops. My mom’s cousin lives in Nice and on our free day he took us around and showed us some sights. We went to a little town called St. Paul de Vence, where there are many little shops and cafés. We also took a tour of the Fragonard Perfume Factory in Eze. On one of our last days we went to Monaco, which is one of the smallest

All photos © Ava Vanderstarren

This March, my family and I went with our school to France. I had an amazing time and saw many, many things. There is nothing like standing on top of the Eiffel Tower, looking out over the City of Lights at night, and watching the snow fall. It is a dream come true.

countries in the world. We had beautiful views of the Côte d’Azur on the Mediterranean Sea. In Monaco we saw the Monte Carlo Casino, the route of the Grand Prix and the palace where the Prince of Monaco lives. There was beautiful weather and all of the million dollar homes were stunning. We ended our trip on the tenth day, flying out of Nice and heading for home. We all had a wonderful time and greatly enjoyed ourselves in France. We experienced so much history and culture and learned many new things. I can’t wait to go back and do more traveling throughout Europe, Asia and the rest of the world! There is no better way to learn. Merci beaucoup et au revoir. Ava Vanderstarren, 16 Chilliwack, BC

Study In Canada • Study Abroad

CANADA

Canada’s Universities An Overview There are more than 90 universities in Canada, all of which offer unique settings and experiences. What they have in common is a dedication to high-quality teaching and research and to providing opportunities that enhance your learning, your career, and your life.

Study In Canada • Study Abroad

Canada offers a wealth of higher education options and life-enriching opportunities at its universities and university degree-level colleges. These institutions are diverse – varying in size and programs – and they’re located across the country, with at least one in every province.

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Universities offer programs that range from fine art, biology and commerce to astronomy, engineering and medicine. Currently, there are more than 10,000 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, as well as professional degree programs and certificates offered in Canada. Regardless of the program, Canadian degrees are globally-recognized and considered equivalent to those from other Commonwealth universities and the United States. Canada has no federal ministry of education or formal national accreditation system. The provinces and territories are responsible for all levels of education, including universities. Instead, membership in the AUCC, coupled with the university’s provincial government charter, is generally deemed the equivalent to accreditation.

• First-year student programs

(orientation week, study skills workshops, counselling); • Academic and campus services (bookstore, career placement centre, academic advisers); • Financial assistance (entrance scholarships and bursaries); • Athletics (recreational, interuniversity teams, fitness centres); • Student exchange programs (study abroad for part of your degree). Students also have access to career, personal or academic counsellors and can get help with medical concerns or resolving housing issues. Many universities also have services for students with specific needs, such as single parents; students with physical, sensory or learning disabilities; Aboriginal students; parttime students; mature students; and students of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

their lifetime, university graduates on average earn $1 million more than do those without a postsecondary education. • Between 1990 and 2006, the number of jobs requiring a university education doubled from 1.9 million to 3.8 million.

CANADA

Academic Programs

Now, and even more in the future, a postsecondary education – a university degree, a college diploma or some combination of the two – will help you get a great job. University also prepares you for the challenges you will face throughout your life. Going to university will help you learn how to solve problems, think critically and creatively, present your ideas persuasively, work in teams, and make effective decisions – all attributes that are in high demand by today’s top employers. A comprehensive Directory of Canadian Universities is available

University Size and Character Each university has a style all its own. You can study at a large, researchintensive campus in an urban centre such as Montréal, Toronto or Vancouver, or you can enroll at a small liberal arts institution with a focus on undergraduate education, such as Mount Allison in Nova Scotia or Trent University in Ontario, where most of the students live in residence. Some universities specialize in areas such as business, engineering or arts, while others offer a wide range of undergraduate, graduate and professional programs. Language and Enrolment Options Canada has English-language and French-language institutions and a few universities, such as University of Ottawa, offer instruction in both official languages. Many universities offer fulltime and part-time enrolment options as well as opportunities to participate in cooperative education, distance learning, continuing education and student exchange or study abroad programs. Services and Programs for Students Canadian universities also provide support and opportunities for their students through a wide range of services and resources. They include: Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

Universities as Part of Your Community Our universities play a vital part in their local communities, offering concerts and plays, daycare centres, sports and fitness facilities, lectures, museums, on-campus radio stations and art galleries. Visit a university – either in person or online at www.aucc.ca/ can_uni/our_universities/index_e.html – to see for yourself how varied and enriching their offerings can be for you. Your Career – a Key Reason for Attending a Canadian University No matter what you study, or where, attending a Canadian university helps you prepare for a rewarding career. For Canadians, higher education is considered the ticket to future success because a university education translates into new skills, better prospects and higher salaries. To illustrate:

• The labour market increasingly

requires highly-educated individuals and rewards them accordingly. Over

from the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. It contains detailed information about courses available at all universities, scholarship tips and contacts for internships and cooperative education opportunities. Please visit “Publications and Resources” at the AUCC website, www.aucc.ca, to order one. Here are some helpful online resources: www.aucc.ca (for a list of all 90 university members and links to their websites as well as for online resources and free publications available to prospective students) www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/index.asp (The federal government’s Citizenship and Immigration department site offers information about visas and study permits for international students) Contributed by: Leslie Cole, Communications Officer Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada www.aucc.ca info@aucc.ca

Study In Canada • Study Abroad

CANADA

Universités Canadiennes

un Aperçu L’Association des universités et collèges du Canada (AUCC) réunit plus de 90 universités qui proposent toutes des milieux et des expériences uniques. Ces établissements font tous preuve du même engagement envers la grande qualité de l’enseignement et de la recherche. De plus, ils offrent des possibilités qui enrichiront vos connaissances, votre carrière et votre vie tout entière. Par l’intermédiaire de ses universités et de ses collèges universitaires, le Canada offre d’innombrables perspectives d’enseignement supérieur ainsi qu’une vaste gamme d’occasions d’enrichissement personnel. Petits ou grands, ces établissements dispensent des programmes variés. On les trouve partout au pays, à raison d’au moins un établissement par province.

Study In Canada • Study Abroad

Programmes d’études Les universités offrent des programmes dans de nombreuses disciplines qui vont des beaux-arts, de la biologie et du commerce à l’astronomie, au génie et à la médecine. À l’heure actuelle, plus de 10 000 programmes de premier, de deuxième et de troisième cycles sont offerts au Canada, en plus de programmes menant à l’obtention d’un grade ou d’un certificat professionnel. Quel que soit le programme dont il est l’aboutissement, un diplôme décerné au Canada jouira d’une reconnaissance mondiale et sera jugé équivalent à un grade décerné par une université des États-Unis ou d’un autre pays du Commonwealth. À l’échelon fédéral, il n’existe ni ministère de l’Éducation ni système d’accréditation national reconnu. L’éducation, à tous les niveaux d’études, y compris le niveau universitaire, relève des provinces et des territoires. Le Canada compte

plutôt des établissements qui sont membres de l’AUCC et qui disposent d’une charte émise par le gouvernement provincial compétent, ce qui revient habituellement au même. Taille et Personnalité des Universités Chaque université possède sa propre personnalité. Vous pouvez par exemple fréquenter un grand campus urbain où la recherche est prépondérante, comme à Montréal, à Toronto ou à Vancouver, ou encore un petit établissement de formation générale qui privilégie la formation de premier cycle, comme la Mount Allison University en Nouvelle-Écosse ou la Trent University en Ontario, où la plupart des étudiants vivent en résidence. Certaines universités se spécialisent dans des domaines tels que le commerce et le génie ou les arts, alors que d’autres offrent un large éventail de programmes au premier cycle ou aux cycles supérieurs, ainsi que des programmes professionnels.

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Les universités dans la collectivité

Le Canada compte des établissements francophones et anglophones et quelques-uns, dont l’Université d’Ottawa, dispensent un enseignement dans les deux langues officielles.

Les universités jouent un rôle indispensable dans leur collectivité: elles offrent des concerts et des pièces de théâtre, des garderies, des installations sportives, des centres de conditionnement physique, des centres de conférence, des musées, des stations de radio universitaire et des galeries d’art. Visitez une université, en personne ou en ligne, à www.aucc.ca/can_uni/our_universities/ index_f.html. Vous y trouverez un monde riche aux multiples facettes.

De nombreuses universités proposent des programmes d’études à temps plein ou à temps partiel ainsi que des possibilités d’enseignement coopératif, de formation à distance, de formation permanente et d’échanges d’étudiants ou des programmes d’études à l’étranger. Services et Programmes à l’Intention des étudiants Les universités canadiennes offrent également soutien et possibilités à leurs étudiants par l’entremise d’une vaste gamme de services et de ressources, dont:

• des programmes à l’intention

des étudiants de première année (semaine d’accueil, ateliers de techniques d’étude, services d’orientation); • des services pédagogiques et des services dispensés sur les campus (librairie, centre de placement, conseillers pédagogiques); • des programmes d’aide financière (bourses de début d’études ou d’entretien); • des activités sportives (divertissement, équipes interuniversitaires, centres de conditionnement physique); • des programmes d’échanges d’étudiants qui intègrent des études à l’étranger au cheminement scolaire. Par ailleurs, en plus de consulter des conseillers personnels, pédagogiques et d’orientation professionnelle, les étudiants peuvent recevoir une aide médicale ou une aide sur le plan du logement. En outre, de nombreuses universités dispensent des services aux étudiants ayant des besoins particuliers: les chefs de famille monoparentale; les personnes souffrant d’un handicap physique, d’une déficience sensorielle ou de troubles d’apprentissage; les Autochtones; les étudiants à temps partiel; les étudiants adultes; les personnes issues de milieux ethniques ou culturels diversifiés.

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Votre Carrière: Motivation Essentielle pour le Choix d’une Université Canadienne Peu importe la discipline ou l’établissement que vous choisissez, le fait de fréquenter une université canadienne vous prépare à une carrière enrichissante. Aux yeux des Canadiens, l’enseignement supérieur constitue un gage de réussite future, car les études universitaires promettent de nouvelles compétences, des débouchés intéressants et des salaires plus élevés. Par exemple:

conseils pour obtenir des bourses d’études ainsi que les coordonnées de personnes-ressources en ce qui concerne les stages et les occasions d’enseignement coopératif. (Pour en commander cliquez sur l’onglet «Publications et Ressources» sur le site Web de l’AUCC, au www.aucc.ca.)

CANADA

Langue et Options d’études

Voici quelques ressources en ligne: www.aucc.ca (Vous y trouverez la liste des universités membres et les liens menant à leurs sites Web, ainsi que des ressources en ligne et des publications gratuites destinées aux futurs étudiants.) www.cic.gc.ca/francais/etudier/ index.asp (Le site de Citoyenneté et Immigration Canada vous renseigne sur les visas et les permis d’études pour les étudiants étrangers.)

• Le marché du travail requiert de plus en plus de personnes très instruites et rémunérées en conséquence. Au cours de leur vie, les diplômés universitaires gagneront en moyenne un million de dollars de plus que ceux qui n’ont pas fait d’études postsecondaires. • Entre 1990 et 2006, le nombre d’emplois exigeant une formation universitaire a doublé, passant de 1,9 million à 3,8 millions.

Aujourd’hui, et encore plus demain, les personnes qui possèdent un diplôme universitaire, un diplôme d’études collégiales ou les deux peuvent dénicher de bons emplois. En outre, les études universitaires vous prépareront à surmonter les difficultés qui émaillent le parcours de la vie. En étudiant à l’université, vous apprendrez à résoudre des problèmes, à exploiter votre pensée critique et votre imagination créatrice, à faire valoir vos opinions de manière convaincante, à travailler en équipe et à prendre des décisions efficaces, et ce sont tous des attributs que s’arrachent les principaux employeurs d’aujourd’hui.

www.cibletudes.ca (Ciblétudes interactif offre des conseils pratiques et des outils d’autoévaluation pour vous guider dans le choix de vos études.) www.cicic.ca/333/l’education-aucanada.canada (Le site du Centre d’information canadien sur les diplômes internationaux évalue les diplômes et guide les étudiants vers les organismes appropriés.) Par: Leslie Cole, Communications Officer Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada www.aucc.ca info@aucc.ca

L’AUCC publie le Répertoire des universités canadiennes. Il contient des renseignements précis sur les cours offerts dans les universités, des

Study In Canada • Study Abroad

Private Universities in

CANADA A Little History

As the second millennium began, and Europe was emerging from the Dark Ages, universities were starting to appear and the lights were coming on again. The University of Bologna was first, established in 1088 by students who left the cathedral schools in frustration over the lack of relevance in their curricula. Paris, Oxford, Salerno and St. Andrews followed on the Bologna model, and many others were created to serve the state, especially in Holland and Germany. With the arrival of the printing press, the opportunity to produce and sell books was treated from the outset as a business opportunity and the spread of learning became increasingly profit-driven. Book-writing and -selling behaved just like any other new retailing venture, except that it was dominated by the university professors who spoke Latin – the humanisti. By 1700, the sheer bulk of available information, gathered on a global scale, had permanently altered the shape of education, and the humanists’ broad liberal base had given way to a proliferation of disciplines. Until the 19th century, the great universities of Britain were free of state funding; likewise, the US Ivy League universities flourished.

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Today What is happening is that more university educational choices are coming available, with a movement towards returning to independence from state funding. While the US examples are numerous and well-known, we also find a stunning example of change with the University of Buckingham in the UK, headed by the brilliant biochemist Dr. Terence Kealey as Vice-Chancellor. Founded as the University College of Buckingham in 1976, and granted university status in 1983, the UB has surged ahead in a sea of public institutions. Dr. Kealey writes on their website: “For the second year running we have come top of the National Student Survey. This means that our students have judged us to be the best university in Britain for teaching and support. The University of Buckingham was created to be Britain’s only independent university because we believed that only by being independent of government could we put the student first, second and third. Our repeated success in the National Student Survey confirms that vision.”

Back to Canada - It’s all about access and diversity While Canadian universities are in better shape than they have been for a long time, with increasing federal and provincial government funding for new research programs, research chairs and scholarships, our Achilles heel remains the issue of undergraduate student access. Increasingly, as our students, institutions, businesses and indeed our country compete on a global scale, Canada must create access to higher learning for more students. This was illustrated in an article by Elizabeth Church in the Globe and Mail newspaper on July 30, 2007. I suggest that a deeper re-thinking is justified, extending beyond the public institutions to broaden the spectrum to allow for private universities as well. For example, of the total 62,686 BC students who applied for a university place in 2006, only half (31,848) were offered admission to the university of their choice. Of these, less than thirty percent (17,948) of the applicants were actually registered. Therefore there were 44,790 qualified students who applied to a BC University who were not admitted to the university of their choice during the 2006 academic year. The same percentages were seen in other years; although the number of applicants showed some increase, there was no significant enrolment increase since 2003/04. And what happened to the much larger number of high school graduates who did not even apply or didn’t qualify – the athletes, volunteers, musicians, leaders, who had other priorities than just academic grades?

Some solutions Access is not about how much money we spend, but how we spend it. Most universities consider a professor’s time to be allocated about 40 percent to teaching, about 40 percent to research and about 20 percent service to the institution and the community. Using these proportions, we would see 40 percent of public funding going to teaching. Right now, many qualified students do not have access to that funding until they are accepted at a university or college, based essentially on high school grades. So the first step would be to increase access not by more money but by making about 40 percent of government Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

funding available directly to qualified student applicants, not only those two thirds with the highest averages. This would allow them to make their own choices as to what and where to study, and would lead to greater responsiveness of institutions competing for students, producing more choice and opportunity. It would also result in a greater diversity in the student body and eventually a greater diversity of educational institutions. How would universities and colleges compete? One answer has to do with time. Five years is the average time it takes for a Canadian student to finish a four-year degree, and six years is not uncommon. By delaying graduation, they clog the system and cut down access for new students. So one way to compete, cut costs and create more spaces, would be to create opportunities for students to finish their programs faster. The next step would be to increase student academic support. Between 25 and 50 percent of university students across Canada fail to complete their degree at all. The fact that there is some correlation between lower high-school grades and higher drop-out rates has led some universities to simply raise the entry requirements! In fact the reasons are varied, but mainly they need more support – in high school and after they arrive. I don’t just mean counselors who see students after a problem develops, or tutors who focus on the academic subjects, or even dedicated professors who put students above their research; but “learning coaches” who deal with the whole student – a combination of counselor, tutor, friend and practical advisor – and lots of them. That is starting to happen in Canada, and should be widely endorsed, as it will broaden the spectrum of opportunities for students, at the same time releasing our research universities from the huge nonacademic demands of undergraduate education. This will ultimately enhance Canada’s international status as a provider of education, and as a leader in research and all its outcomes. University Canada West (UCW), as the first fully independent, self-financed university in Canada, is here to show that the same philosophy that works in the UK for Buckingham, and in the USA for the Ivy League, can work in Canada. But there is more to it than just the studentcentered approach and the independence from government funding. UCW provides additional benefits such as speed, efficiency, cost-savings, responsiveness, and not least – access for both Canadian and international students. At UCW, all students take a broad spectrum of liberal arts courses initially, followed by core business or other specialist subjects, and capped by more broad courses in subjects such as world politics, cultures and religions, the impact of modern communications and technology, and major scientific revolutions. The overall aim is to supplement practical courses with the broad theoretical education expected of university education. But these courses are not delivered according the traditional slow and expensive “seasonal” design of four-month semesters, requiring four years or more for completion. Low cost and speed go together, and lie at the heart of UCW’s approach. By such devices as compressing into a week the month allotted by other universities for exam writing each term, UCW squeezes two extra terms into each year. A student who takes no summer break can get a BCom degree in two years – three years less than the average – and do an MBA in one year instead of two because we permit Bachelor of Commerce graduates to

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escape taking many virtually identical courses in the standard MBA program. It costs less because, completing in even two and a half years, a Canadian undergraduate can save about $30,000 in fees and living expenses while an international student, paying the same fees as Canadians, can save as much as $90,000 in comparison to four years at other Canadian universities. And, with the rapidly growing two-year degree programs in the UK, it is increasingly realized that speed also enhances the learning process, eliminating the loss of focus and detail that result from long breaks.

To conclude - the UCW Student Advantage FINISH FASTER. Today’s world is tough and fast-moving – we don’t want students to hang around! They can get their degrees more quickly than they would in other universities – in as little as two years. That means they can get on with their lives and careers sooner, with lifetime cumulative benefits. SAVE MONEY. Time costs money, travel costs money, and living costs money. UCW students can save on all fronts if they finish faster, earn sooner and longer, save on accommodation and related costs, even stay home, do some or all courses online, or save on travel. International students pay no differential fee, saving even more with UCW. HIGH QUALITY TEACHING. UCW students learn from professors with established academic reputations and real world experience. They also learn from our Learning Coaches – one for every course. And they learn from each other through teamwork, chat-rooms, and other interactions. PERSONALIZED EXPERIENCE. Small classes ensure lots of personal attention. RELEVANT PROGRAMS. Each program has been constructed to give UCW students the academic background and essential skills they need to build a rewarding and successful career.

FLEXIBLE LEARNING MODEL. UCW students can do some, or all, or none of their coursework online – the choice is theirs. SKILLS AND MORE. UCW students have the support of our experienced Learning and Skills Coaches. Coaches help you master your coursework, prepare for examinations and develop time management and study skills that will help you succeed not only in your studies, but also in life - teamwork, oral communication, enterprise and creativity, personal achievement record, enterprise and ‘intrapreneurship,’ and leadership. ACCESS IS US. Our academic admission threshold is the same as most Canadian universities – a 65% high school average and students can know they’re accepted within two days - no waiting, no wondering. Contributed by: By David Strong, PhD, DSc, LLD, FRSC President and Vice-Chancellor University Canada West David Strong was always in a hurry. He completed high-school at 17, his BSc at 21, his MSc at 23 and his PhD at 26. At Memorial University he was a full professor at 30, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada at 38, Vice-President Academic at 43, and he was President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Victoria at 46. From this experience, he got his inspiration to focus on more efficient higher education models, hence University Canada West, which he founded as a way of doing it right.

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CANADA

Why Study in

British Columbia?

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CANADA Hon. Murray Coell

Do you want a first-class education in a beautiful province that has a high standard of living and safe, welcoming communities? Do you hope to find a great career in a strong economy upon graduation? If so, British Columbia is a great choice for your post-secondary education. As Canada’s westernmost province and gateway to the Asia Pacific, BC offers many advantages to both students and graduates of our widely varied and high quality programs.

Our post-secondary education system is among the most respected in the world. For example, three of British Columbia’s universities are ranked among the world’s best by the well-regarded Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s Top 500 World Universities survey. Nationally, Maclean’s Magazine places them near the top of its annual rankings. British Columbia has 25 public postsecondary institutions – including five new universities. Together, they offer more than 1,900 programs, including undergraduate and graduate degree programs, trades, vocational, career and technical programs as well as English as a second language. There are more than 400 registered private career training institutions and 17 private and out of province public degree granting institutions with locations here, providing even more choice. To ensure that students get the education and skills they sign up for, the province is creating an Education Quality Assurance designation, which will become BC’s brand for quality post-secondary education. To experience as much of BC as possible, you can take advantage of our highly-developed transfer system

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providing seamless transferring between institutions. For instance, you might start out at a small-town college that offers smaller classes and lower tuition. Later, you can transfer to a larger institution in a different part of the province to complete your studies. Wherever you study, you are bound to be close to spectacular mountains, ocean, forests and lakes. This natural beauty brings people from around the world for hiking, skiing, swimming, kayaking and river rafting. If you prefer city life, Vancouver is ranked third best of 215 cities worldwide by the Mercer Human Resource Consulting survey. If you stay in BC beyond graduation, you will find yourself in a booming economy, with 1.1 million job openings predicted between 2005 and 2015. Every year B.C. welcomes up to 140,000 students from around the world. With a province so rich in culture, natural beauty and study options, it’s no wonder that they join students from this province and across Canada to shape their futures. Hon. Murray Coell Minister of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development www.gov.bc.ca/aved

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CANADA

Exploring a Liberal Arts and Sciences Education A recent Globe and Mail article (July 14, 2008) reported on a study which found that most students take a “zigzag” approach to higher education, with students moving between programs and schools or taking a break from studies for a year or more. This behaviour, says the article, “could test traditional notions of education,” and “raises many questions about how best to help teens settle on the type of higher education that suits them.”

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Pursuing a post-secondary education has never been harder when you consider not only the cost, but the vast number of schools, universities, colleges and even universitycolleges who all offer a myriad of different courses, programs, diplomas and degrees.

In other words, the main goal of the liberal arts and sciences education is not to train but to educate by providing general knowledge and developing intellectual capacities. It allows students to think more deeply, write more effectively, and make better decisions across a broader range of problems.

One way of exploring your options may be through a course of study in liberal arts and sciences. While a fairly new concept in Canada, there are more than 600 liberal arts colleges south of the border. Colleges such as Colorado College, Evergreen State College and Cornell College offer highly-acclaimed academic programs that land them in the pages of books such as Loren Pope’s “Colleges That Change Lives.” In Canada, universities that feature liberal arts education, such as Acadia University, dot the East and, with the establishment of Quest University Canada in September 2007, a West Coast alternative is also available to Canadian students. So what is a liberal arts and sciences education? Briefly, it is a curriculum that offers a broad overview of the arts, the biological and physical sciences, the social sciences and the humanities. It can also mean an education that actively breaks down traditional disciplinary boundaries found in most programs or schools. By studying liberal arts and sciences students are able to explore many different academic disciplines, understand how different subjects relate to one another, and also explore their own interests. Sean Hamilton, a student at Quest University Canada, has found that this kind of education has inspired a love of learning he didn’t have before. “I have been truly humbled by the knowledge I have gained. There were so many things I would not have comprehended or even cared about a few short

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CANADA

concepts, global economics and environmental studies. The study of Hamlet would include discussion about the geopolitics of information or intellectual property rights.

Indeed, students and parents today are faced with some difficult decisions when it comes to asking the inevitable question of what to do after high school.

months ago which now engage my interest. I feel as if I have the tools for every activity I could want to do,” says Hamilton. So how does this work in practice? For example, if you wanted to tackle an issue like solving the AIDS crisis, what subject would you study? Most will say it’s a medical problem, so you might go into medicine. But as the discussion grows, one realizes that things like economics, politics, education, demographics and lifestyle all play a role in understanding the full impact of this disease today. Similarly, in this educational model, to address pressing issues like energy, a course would include physics

Timothy Fuller, Former President of Colorado College, a liberal arts college in the United States, agrees. “One important point to make whenever undergraduate liberal education is under discussion is that liberal learning is all the more important in a rapidly changing world because it gives students a solid base and anchor in perennial wisdom and fundamental values. Individuals today will perhaps have several different careers, but the basic questions of life and its meaning will persist through all such changes,“ says Fuller. It is this versatility that allows students to continue to a more specific degree program, or students can use the communications, reasoning and thinking skills they’ve developed to enter into a wide choice of careers. This is an education that opens up limitless pathways: professional work, graduate studies, research, arts and business, to name just a few. Today’s world demands people who can see the big picture, understand different perspectives, appreciate the fragility of the environment and work cross-culturally in a world in which new careers are evolving every day. A liberal arts and sciences education offers just that. Contributed by: Angela Heck, Director of Public Relations at Quest University Canada www.questu.ca info@questu.ca

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Un Filet d’Espoir Des étudiants et étudiantes partout au pays tissent un filet d’espoir pour aider à prévenir la propagation de la malaria, l’une des maladies les plus dévastatrices en Afrique Sauver la vie d’un enfant en Afrique peut être aussi simple que d’effectuer un don de dix dollars. Grâce à votre don, l’UNICEF achètera une moustiquaire pour le lit qui protègera les enfants des moustiques porteurs de la malaria. L’UNICEF et la campagne Un filet d’espoir lancent un défi aux étudiants et étudiantes de partout au pays: participez à la lutte contre la malaria en vous joignant à des milliers d’autres étudiants qui ont déjà recueilli plus de 300 000 dollars jusqu’à maintenant – un montant qui permet de fournir 30 000 moustiquaires pour le lit à des familles qui en ont vraiment besoin. Dès septembre, les écoles secondaires, les cégeps et les universités sont invités à s’inscrire au défi Un filet d’espoir, un effort national des étudiants et étudiantes visant à acheter des moustiquaires pour le lit imprégnées d’insecticide pour des familles du Libéria et du Rwanda. Un filet d’espoir est une campagne locale cofondée par Belinda Stronach et Rick Mercer en partenariat avec UNICEF Canada, dont l’objectif est d’acheter 500 000 moustiquaires pour le lit imprégnées d’insecticide d’ici juin 2009. Puisque les moustiques porteurs de la malaria piquent généralement la nuit, dormir sous une moustiquaire pour le lit est un moyen simple et abordable d’aider à prévenir la propagation de la maladie. Chaque tranche de dix dollars recueillie pour la campagne Un filet d’espoir permet de procurer une moustiquaire pour le lit qui peut limiter la transmission de la malaria de 50 pour cent et réduire les décès attribuables à cette maladie de 25 pour cent. Une moustiquaire pour le lit imprégnée d’insecticide est une solution simple pour contrer la malaria, la maladie responsable du plus grand nombre de décès d’enfants de moins de cinq ans en Afrique. Près de 80 écoles du Québec se sont inscrites au défi Tissons un filet d’espoir contre la malaria.

La polyvalente Le Carrefour de Gatineau est l’école qui a recueilli le plus de fonds! Les élèves, le personnel enseignant et la direction du programme international ont recueilli plus de 5 000 $, permettant de procurer plus de 500 moustiquaires pour le lit qui sauveront la vie de nombreux enfants. Pour y parvenir, les élèves du premier cycle du secondaire du programme international ont participé à une dictée traitant de la malaria en étant parrainés par leurs parents et amis. Ainsi, moins ils faisaient de fautes, plus ils obtenaient des fonds de la part de leurs parrains. Cette activité leur a permis de recueillir plus de 3 000 $! Les élèves de cinquième secondaire de la classe de leadership ont, quant à eux, vendu des friandises et agi à titre de formateurs auprès des autres élèves de l’école en les renseignant sur les conséquences qu’entraîne la malaria et en les motivant à participer de façon plus active à cette campagne. De plus, les élèves de deuxième secondaire ont organisé un quille-o-thon pour clôturer ce projet grandement valorisé par les enseignants et enseignantes ainsi que la direction du programme international de l’école. Pour célébrer cette éclatante participation, MarieMai a donné un concert le 6 juin dernier à la polyvalente Le Carrefour! Inscrivez votre école au défi Un filet d’espoir 20082009 et joignez-vous à des milliers d’étudiants et d’étudiantes dans la lutte contre la malaria. Un filet à dix dollars sauve des vies. Les étudiants et étudiantes, le personnel des écoles et les membres du personnel enseignant intéressés à relever le défi peuvent en apprendre davantage sur le défi Un filet d’espoir 2008-2009 en visitant le site www.unfiletdespoir.org. Vous pourrez obtenir des renseignements sur l’inscription au défi, télécharger des outils formidables pour les étudiantes et étudiants et pour le personnel enseignant, ainsi qu’en apprendre davantage sur les pays auxquels Un filet d’espoir vient en aide. Sarah Houde Responsable des communications UNICEF Québec

UNICEF Canada www.unicef.ca Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

Study In Canada • Study Abroad

CANADA

Manitoba

Education Excellence 26

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and certificate programs to choose from. Academic programs as diverse as fine arts, biochemistry and international relations are available. From a large campus of over 27,000 students to smaller institutions in rural surroundings to research centres and institutes, Manitoba offers quality academic options to students from around the province, the country and the world. There are also numerous technical/vocational institutions, language programs and transition programs to help students improve their French/English language skills for study, work, or personal interest.

Quality The United Nations consistently ranks Canada as one of the top places in the world to live and the quality of life experienced by Manitobans reflects this. Canada places great importance on learning, and each province has developed a first-rate education system with high standards. Canada spends more on education compared to the OECD average, and is among the highest of G8 countries.

Manitoba institutions offer domestic students an assortment of international exchange programs with universities overseas. So you can study in Manitoba and choose from an array of excellent study abroad programs to enhance your learning experience.

With high-quality education in mind, Manitoba’s universities and colleges are equipped with cutting-edge research facilities and a wide variety of specialized programs. Our instructors are highly qualified and our institutions are internationally renowned. Choice Manitoba has four public universities, one university-college, four colleges and four private colleges that provide fully-accredited and internationallyrecognized education. There is a large selection of undergraduate, graduate (Master or Doctoral), professional

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Manitoba’s Off-Campus Work Permit Program enables international students at post-secondary institutions to work off campus while continuing their studies, allowing them to gain valuable skills in the Canadian workplace. Affordable Manitoba offers world-class education at competitive rates. Our average university and college tuition fees are among the lowest in Canada. Access to Manitoba’s quality health care system (through subsidized medical insurance rates), combined with affordable housing and living expenses, enables students to take advantage of sport, entertainment, travel and work opportunities.

Safe and welcoming environment Manitoba offers a safe environment in which to live, learn and succeed. Students coming to Manitoba have many housing options, including student residences, off-campus apartments, shared house rentals, and Homestays.

CANADA

Why Manitoba? At the geographic centre of Canada and North America, Manitoba is a study destination rich in cultural diversity, natural beauty and exceptional learning environments. You will find vibrant urban centers, warm rural communities, and a prosperous economy. You can study a variety of subjects, in French or English, in a rural or urban setting, at a large or small institution. From distinguished climate-change researchers to leading edge-health specialists, Manitoba has proven its ability to prepare students for a successful career throughout Manitoba, Canada and the world.

Manitoba was first in Canada to implement an international student stream within the Provincial Nominee Program. The province also offers a 60% income tax rebate on tuition fees for all post-secondary students, including international students who stay and work in the province. These initiatives highlight Manitoba’s commitment to international students and education in general. Multicultural More than 100 languages are spoken in Manitoba, making us a truly diverse and multicultural province. We celebrate hundreds of multicultural events each year, taking pride in our mosaic of backgrounds. Our educational institutions reflect this appreciation by offering an array of international student services, including advising, community activities, and accommodation. Student organizations in Manitoba’s post-secondary institutes also reflect our province’s diversity, and all are sure to find a welcoming environment in which to express their opinions and realize their goals. For more information please visit www.education-excellence.ca Or contact: International Education Branch Winnipeg, MB Telephone: (204) 945-1126 education-excellence@gov.mb.ca

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AUSTRALIA

Australia Offers World Class Higher Education Australia offers the world no shortage of vivid images of its stunning natural beauty and unique culture: red desert landscapes; kangaroos, koalas and crocodiles; white-sand beaches; the abstract strokes of Aboriginal art; shimmering blues of the Great Barrier Reef; and the unmistakable shellwithin-shell silhouette of the Sydney Opera House. Together they paint an exquisite picture of this unique continent known as the “Land Down Under,” a place of 20 million people that is roughly the same in land mass as the United States. However, there is even more to discover when one moves beyond Australia’s alluring face to explore what lies within the country’s head and heart. Within Australian commerce, education, and everyday life, one finds a country that is innovative and cooperative in research; a global leader in areas of medicine, agriculture and environmental sustainability; and diverse culture of people, languages, art and cuisine. This variety is in large part because of Australia’s mix of Aboriginal roots, influx of foreign immigrants, and close proximity to Asia. For students considering studying or earning a degree abroad, contemporary Australia is one of the

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great options available in international education. With months instead of days to explore, students soon discover Australia is more culturally diverse, complex and educationally enriching than travel brochures or wildlife programs can even begin to convey. Underpinning modern Australia is a world-class higher education system of 39 universities, all of which are required by the Australian government to maintain high standards. The Australian university system attracts students from more than 90 countries, including 4,412 students from Canada in 2007. “Interestingly, that statistic has grown from 2,360 in 2002,” explains John Hayton, Director of Australian Education International, North America, the international arm of the Australian Education Department.

“Essentially over six years, it’s almost doubled.” Alison O’Hearn, a 26-year-old Dalhousie University graduate from Halifax, Nova Scotia, is one of those students. After graduating with a degree in neuroscience and history, O’Hearn in January 2007 boarded a plane for Australia to begin four years of medical school. Like many students, she knew little more about the country than what she’d seen on the “Crocodile Hunter” television series. “I was expecting it to be hot all of the time and to see spiders, snakes and koalas at every turn,” O’Hearn says. “I’ve been living here for a year and a half, and I have not seen one snake and only a handful of kangaroos in the wild.” Instead, O’Hearn is seeing first-hand Australia’s innovative educational approaches as she studies among the first class of the Graduate School of Medicine at the University of Wollongong in New South Wales. “Australia as a whole is very laid back and easy going,” she says. “It’s diverse in languages and cultures. This can be challenging in medicine, but it’s a challenge I enjoy meeting every day.” O’Hearn has dreamed of studying medicine since she was a little girl, so when her application to her home

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university’s medical school was deferred, she was disappointed at the prospect of delaying her plans. “I was faced with the option of applying again the next year with an uncertain outcome or trying to apply further afield,” she says. She gained new hope, however, when she read a newspaper article about Wollongong’s new medical school. She contacted a program advisor and was impressed by the quality of the curriculum and the friendliness of the staff. Established in 1951, the University of Wollongong has for more than 20 years wanted to add a medical school, says Lyndal Parker-Newlyn, Associate Professor of Medical Education for the school. Faced with a growing shortage of medical practitioners in regional, rural and remote areas, the Australian Parliament stepped up its support of medical education, including the establishment of Wollongong’s medical school, which accepted its first group of students in January 2007. From the onset, the school sought to create an innovative and specialized curriculum, Parker-Newlyn explains. “Because we don’t have tradition and set ways,” she says, “we’ve gone around the world and looked at the best of medical education.” The resulting program provides students with hands-on clinical experience as early as the first week, new facilities on two campuses and on-the-job training in the local hospitals and general practice clinics in seven rural hubs. Australia has a long history of such innovative thinking, including eight Nobel Prize winners: five in medicine, two in literature and one each in chemistry and physics. The achievements of these winners include the discovery of bacterium Helicobacter pylori as the cause of gastritis and peptic ulcer disease (2005, joint award, Drs. Barry Marshall and J. Robin Warren) and penicillin and its medicinal properties (1945, Howard Florey). “What people don’t understand is how strong Australia is in research,” says Australian Education International’s

John Hayton. “Australia contributes three percent to the world’s scientific knowledge.” A few examples:

• Australian advances in medicine

include the cochlear implant in 1978 by University of Melbourne Professor Graeme Clark and the cervical cancer vaccine by University of Queensland Professor Ian Frazer.

• Australia’s critical water shortage

continues to spur innovation and cutting-edge practices in agriculture, including the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization’s development of livestock vaccines, Australian-bred cottons, automated harvesting for the wine industry and plants that produce DHA, an omega-3 oil vital for human health and normally found only in fish sources.

“Historically, a lot of development, particularly in agriculture, came about because Australia was so far away from anywhere,” Hayton says. “How do you make sustainable agriculture in what is the world’s driest continent? How do you manage watersheds? How do you develop irrigation systems that will conserve water?” With biodiversity ranging from tropical rainforests to deserts, to the greatest coral reef in the world, Australia serves as a laboratory for scientific discovery and international

James Cook University, with two coastal campuses near the Great Barrier Reef, is world-renowned in its study of biodiversity, sustainable management of tropical ecosystems, global warming, tropical agriculture and tropical healthcare in remote areas.

AUSTRALIA

collaboration, especially in environmental and marine sciences.

Amazingly, more than 80% of Australia’s flowering plants, mammals, reptiles and amphibians are unique to the country. So are many of its fish and almost half of its birds. “We’re small so we’ve got to make sure our research dollar counts,” Hayton says, “and that our universities are not competing with each other but collaborating.” Contributed by: Victoria Heron Canadian Development Manager for AustraLearn/AsiaLearn/EuroLearn Educational Programs of GlobaLinks Canada. www.australearncanada.org vheron@australearn.org

Sun, sand, sea … and the Perth Institute of Business and Technology. Located just five kilometres north of Western Australia’s sun-kissed capital, the Perth Institute of Business and Technology (PIBT) is a progressive and dynamic institute of higher education. It is also the founding college of the publicly listed Navitas group of education providers. PIBT provides a wide range of courses in the areas of Law, Business, Hotel Management, Computer Science and IT, Communication and Science. The courses are offered at a pre-University and University level. Why Choose PIBT? Enter 2nd year of an ECU degree through one of PIBT’s Diploma pathways Accelerate your studies to University through our innovative threesemester system (intakes available in February, June and October) Enrol in a university-designed program that is accredited and recognised Study on a university campus with university lecturers Learn in a supportive environment Attend lecture groups with smaller class sizes and individual attention For more information visit www.pibt.wa.edu.au

September 2008 • Issue: 1

303ECU3805 CRICOS IPC 00279B

Cuddle a Koala Down Under! Most people know that they can have super holidays in the Land of Oz – Australia – but how many know about working holidays on farms and cattle stations? The Working Holiday Visa is for 18–30 year old Canadians for one year and it has recently been extended for a second year for those young people who work on these farms! Did you know that you can learn how to be useful on a farm or cattle station in just a few days with a short training course at Visitoz – and that you are then guaranteed work for the rest of your visa as you travel around the country? Visitoz does not touch fruit picking because it is far too badly paid. All their jobs provide the award (unionnegotiated) wage or better, plus food and accommodation provided at the place of work. Parents and participants alike will appreciate the guarantee that the working holiday makers will be met at the airport, they will receive suitable training and they are guaranteed a 30

Study In Canada • Study Abroad

well-paid job at the end of their first nine days in Australia! Visitoz is the only company that can genuinely offer this guarantee; we have been in business for over 16 years and in that time have built up a huge database of employers all over Australia who come to Visitoz when they are looking for staff. Work can be provided in agriculture – the fun stuff: riding horses, chasing cattle and sheep, and driving tractors; but also in hospitality, child care and teaching. Some have even handled crocodiles! And most have cuddled koala! There are also links available to sailing and dive boat work, after suitable training, for those who join Visitoz.

of fun spending their saved money (because in the outback there is little to spend it on!) – go touring, sailing, diving, white-water rafting, bridge climbing and surfing – and then, just before the money runs out they use the Freecall number to phone Visitoz again for another job. Time on your hands? Deferring university? Not sure what career path to follow after university? Thinking of doing something different before settling down? Beat a path to www.visitoz.org - it will be the best thing you have ever done.

All the work is in rural and outback Australia – not in the cities and not on the coast. The reason for this is simple: Australians like to work in these places and so it is very hard to get jobs there. However, jobs are so well paid in the “bush” that after a few months it is possible for participants to go to the cities and coast and have a great deal Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

Western Australia (WA) is truly the authentic Australian experience. The state is famous for its long days of sunshine, spotless blue skies and brilliant beaches. It has also gained global recognition for its world-class education, recordlow unemployment rate, booming economy and dedication to state-ofthe-art development in science and technology. Perth, WA’s capital city, has welcomed international students for decades, and is one of the leading Australian destinations for students. In any given year, over 42,000 international students from over 140 countries enrol in a Western Australian course.

Eight Great Reasons to Study in Perth 1. A lifestyle that’s hard to match! Perth is rated as one of the world’s most liveable cities. It offers a high standard of living, and yet is more affordable than other major cities in Australia and overseas. The services and facilities in Perth are world class and its people are relaxed and fun loving because of their healthy, outdoor-driven lifestyle. In 2006, Lonely Planet voted Perth as one of the world’s “top ten future cities.” 2. World-class education Western Australia’s education system is recognised around the globe as one of the best. Its five world-class universities and wide variety of schools, vocational institutions and English language colleges provide quality-assured education with flexible

study pathways. The teachers and lecturers are dedicated, culturallyaware and often multilingual. 3. An enriching cultural experience Perth’s society is a harmonious blend of over 200 different nationalities. The city’s multicultural mix is most evident in its food and restaurants that cater to all moods and tastes. Perth and its surrounds also provide an incredible backdrop to a broad range of festivals and activities throughout the year. The locals are renowned for their friendliness and hospitality and love interacting with overseas visitors. 4. Leader in research and innovation The state’s five universities share a wealth of excellence with worldwide academic and research linkages. State-of-the-art facilities and cutting-edge research projects put Western Australia at the forefront of the science and technology industry. The awarding of the 2005 Nobel Prize in Medicine to Prof. Barry Marshall and Dr. Robin Warren highlights the quality of scientific research being conducted in the state. 5. Clean, safe and secure environment Perth is blessed with a beautiful riverside location, pristine white beaches and green parks. The Mediterranean climate, relatively low population and minimal traffic congestion have resulted in perfect blue skies and a pollution-free environment. The city enjoys a relatively low crime rate compared with other major cities, making its institutions, transport and city streets reasonably safe and secure.

AUSTRALIA

Perth Education City successful career. The state’s practical approach to education, guided by teachers who are experts in the field, ensures that you are taught the skills that are relevant to today’s everchanging world. 7. Endless part-time work opportunities As a student, you always need a bit of extra cash! The opportunity to work part-time for up to 20 hours per week allows you to earn some spending money and become an active member of the community. Western Australia has the lowest unemployment rate in

the country, which means that you’ll have no trouble finding a part-time job. 8. A continuing success story Western Australia has the fastest growing economy in the country. Its people, industries and institutions are dynamic and global in outlook with international business partnerships rapidly expanding. This economic boom has generated thousands of high quality and well-paid career opportunities for those wishing to apply for a work visa or permanent residency. So what are you waiting for? Gain an international qualification while having the experience of a lifetime… Study in Perth, Western Australia!

6. Qualifications that take you places The internationally-recognized qualifications gained in Perth will pave your way to a rewarding and Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

Contributed by: Perth Education City www.pertheducationcity.com.au Study In Canada • Study Abroad

FAST TRACK YOUR WAY TO A TEACHING CAREER Do you have a completed degree? Do you want to be a teacher? At CQUniversity we can help you be what you want to be.

CRICOS Provider Codes: QLD 00219C, NSW 01315F, VIC 01624D

At CQUniversity you can complement your completed undergraduate qualification with a one year teaching degree. The Graduate Diploma of Learning and Teaching has been designed especially for university graduates with noneducation degrees who want to retrain as a primary school, secondary school or Vocational Education and Training teacher in just one year. Our program is offered on-line through distance education with extensive in school professional practice in the classroom. BE WHAT YOU WANT TO BE â&#x20AC;&#x201C; CHANGE YOUR CAREER DIRECTION NOW.

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NEW ZEALAND

Get a ‘Hands-On’ Education in

New Zealand

New Zealand is a land of awe-inspiring landscapes, rugged mountains, active volcanoes, rolling green pastures, and rare wildlife. But it isn’t just the tourists who enjoy the spectacular scenery that New Zealand has to offer; these unique features also get put to good use by students to further their

Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

experience and knowledge of a wide range of subjects. Studying in New Zealand is a ‘very hands-on’ experience for most. Whether they’re researching a doctoral thesis, training to become an outdoor adventure leader, or hoping

to understand and predict natural disasters, they can enhance their studies in New Zealand with real-life experiences. For students specializing in geology or environmental studies, New Zealand is the ideal place to get their hands

Study In Canada • Study Abroad © Christopher Howey - Dreamstime.com

NEW ZEALAND

dirty. The country has several active volcanoes, underground geothermal areas, low-lying glaciers, and is situated on the border of two tectonic plates. This allows for some unique research opportunities. Over one-third of New Zealand’s area is protected parkland or forest, so it’s easy to access natural areas without having to stray far from educational facilities or urban conveniences. New Zealand’s remoteness also makes it a great place to study protected wildlife, with populations of penguin, albatross, the world’s only alpine parrot – the kea – and the world’s heaviest insect, the giant weta.

For international student Jennifer Anne Moore, a prehistoric lizard called the Tuatara was the draw card. “There is no other place in the world where Tuatara occur, so it only made sense to come to this fantastic country to study these amazing animals!” says Jennifer. “My field work is on Stephens Island, in the Marlborough Sounds. It’s an amazing nature reserve that holds the largest population of tuatara in the world.” New Zealand is also famous for being an adventure-lover’s playground. The rugged but accessible landscape makes it a must-do for hikers, mountaineers, kayakers, surfers, skiers, mountain bikers, and of course bungy jumpers! For some, the great recreational activities in New Zealand are just a bonus of studying here. For others, the recreational activities are a key element in their studies. Matt Harris chose New Zealand for his studies in Outdoor Recreational Leadership because of the great opportunities to put his learning into practice. Already, he’s assisting teaching people of all ages and abilities rock-climbing, white-water kayaking and mountain-biking in New Zealand’s outstanding natural terrain. “It’s amazing what these people get from their experiences,” says Matt. “Along with a strong sense of

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adventure, they learn teamwork, trust and confidence and they often make a bunch of new friends. It’s personally rewarding for them and also for me, as their trainer.” Everything from a certificate to a postgraduate degree can be obtained in the field of outdoor recreation in New Zealand. Studying in a country renowned for adventurous outdoor experiences is ideal for students who want a piece of the action. In addition to more general qualifications, students in New Zealand can become qualified as skydiving, scuba diving, and skiing or snowboarding instructors, to name just a few.

Agriculture has always been the backbone of New Zealand’s economy, so it’s no surprise that a lot of great agricultural training and research is based there. Programs focus on diverse subjects including forestry, farm management, biotechnology, horticulture and viticulture (grapegrowing). For doctoral student Serkan Ateş, however, it was the opportunity to study grass (for grazing pastures) that brought him to New Zealand. “New Zealand is probably considered one of the most advanced countries in the pastoral sector,” Serkan explains. “I believe my New Zealand education will give me enough confidence to deal with complicated agricultural and pastoral problems and knowledge to provide solutions.” All of New Zealand’s eight universities are research-based, which give students at every level of the system an opportunity to do real work in their fields. The educational system in New Zealand also encourages students to think for themselves, rather than memorize and repeat what their lecturers say. Discussion, debate and innovation result in some great new ideas coming out of New Zealand schools.

Along with the eight universities, New Zealand has 21 Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics around the country offering practical courses which lead to certificates, diplomas and degrees in a number of subjects. Often their courses include the opportunity to get valuable work experience as part of their programs. This gives students skills that just can’t be learned in the classroom. Hundreds of private training providers round out the options for students, with courses that lead directly to careers in fields like IT, business, travel and hospitality. New Zealand has a national quality assurance system, called the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA). This ensures that students taking courses in New Zealand are consistently getting a great education that can be transferred to other schools around the world and is recognized by potential employers. This makes it easy to complete an entire degree in New Zealand or just a few specialized courses as part of a semester abroad. The small population of New Zealand also means that class sizes tend to be smaller, allowing students more personal attention from lecturers and tutors. The small classes, along with the emphasis on discussion and participation in class, mean that students from overseas get to know their classmates quickly and make friends easily. Leisure time is important to New Zealanders, so students are likely to have a lot of fun while they’re in the country. That balance of great education and memorable experiences is what makes New Zealand such a popular place to study. Studying in New Zealand, whether for a few months or a few years, is an experience that international students treasure for the rest of their lives. You may get your hands a bit dirty, but you’ll also get a chance to participate in practical training and research to help launch your career. Contributed by: Michelle Waitzman Communications Specialist Education New Zealand www.newzealandeducated.com Helpful websites: Student Visas: New Zealand Immigration Service www.immigration.govt.nz Qualifications: New Zealand Qualifications Authority www.nzqa.govt.nz

Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

SOUTH AFRICA

Cape Town and South Africa Through the Eyes of an International Intern When you start talking about your plans to go to South Africa, you will hear different points of view from many people. But like any other place, the best way to judge is to see it for yourself. South Africa is a beautiful country with beautiful landscapes and a variety of people from different nationalities.

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You can do so many things in Cape Town: from whale watching, shark-cage diving, winery visiting; to cultural explorations on Robben Island, Cape Pont, or Bo Kaap; and extreme sports of various genres. There are countless activities and something for everyone, all of the time.

Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

And that’s just one of the great things about Cape Town. Even though you are choosing to work here during your study, work experience, or gap year, you realize that there are so many things to explore. There are a lot of museums for the history and culture enthusiast as well as nice clubs if you like to dance; or you can watch different sports in the wealth of bars in the city or eat top-class food in any of our many restaurants. And we can’t forget about our worldfamous Table Mountain – once you are here, you have to climb to the top. And the views are incredible as you can see the whole city and all the way up the coast to where two oceans – the Atlantic and Indian – meet. There are also many stunning beaches, which makes surfing a very popular sport. South Africans have developed a large beach, sun and sea culture and the country attracts people from around the world who also enjoy the ocean playground. It also lends itself to unforgettable sunrises and sunsets. Truly breathtaking.

Students coming to South Africa to do an internship gain vital work experience on an international level. In Cape Town there are many companies eager to work with international students and provide work placements in such fields as Marketing, Law, Tourism, Accounting, Communication, and Event Management – the opportunities are boundless. You can also opt to work on a volunteering project. You will get the chance to work closer with the local community, or with, for example, injured animals or conservation projects. There are many organizations who invite students to help them with volunteering work, so you can be more than a tourist. Most students want to combine these experiences with some form of travel and that’s when gap year traveling through South Africa becomes very popular. If you do all your planning with a professional work-placement agency, they will communicate for you with the company and also make sure that you as an intern will enjoy your stay in Cape Town, 24/7. Arrangements like accommodations, any visas required,

So whether you visit Cape Town as an intern or volunteer, don’t leave without doing some exploring in and round the city as well as through South Africa to see more of the nature on offer and the different cultures that make up this land. Explore the “Garden Route” (an area of coast line that resembles a garden because it is so green, lush and full of adventure) or go on an adventure tour and see Durban, Swaziland, Kruger National Park and Johannesburg. Enrich yourself and start your internship or volunteer program in Cape Town and enjoy the beauty and spirit of South Africa. Contributed by: Richard Rubenstein Kickstart richard@kickstart.co.za www.kickstart.co.za

SOUTH AFRICA

regular social meetings, and activities like tours and trips are all taken care of, too. As an intern or volunteer you will be introduced to other international students and will live together in student houses, optimizing your experience abroad.

If you want to study in

THE UNITED STATES… Find out more about the United States and the educational options for international students at

www.USeduguides.com Receive information on U.S.

colleges, ﬁnancial options, campus life, and admissions processes—start

your international career now!

For more information, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs. Daniela Locreille at dlocreille@hobsons-us.com.

Spread the Net Students across Canada Spread the Net to help prevent the spread of malaria – one of Africa’s deadliest killers Saving a child’s life in Africa can be as simple as making a $10 donation for the purchase of a bed net that will keep malaria-carrying mosquitoes away. Ten bucks – that’s the equivalent of a few music downloads or a trip to the movies. Or lives saved. UNICEF Canada and Spread the Net are challenging students to get involved in the fight against malaria by joining thousands of other students across the country who have already raised more than $300,000 to date – enough to supply 30,000 bed nets to families who need them the most. Starting in September, high schools, colleges, and universities are invited to register for the Spread the Net Student Challenge, a nationwide effort among students to help purchase life-saving insecticide-treated bed nets for families in Liberia and Rwanda. Championed by Spread the Net co-founder and comedian Rick Mercer, the challenge comes with a special prize for the top fundraising school: The high school, college or university campus that raises the most funds will get a personal visit from Rick Mercer and the Rick Mercer Report! Spread the Net, co-founded by Belinda Stronach and Rick Mercer in partnership with UNICEF Canada, is a grassroots campaign that aims to purchase 500,000 insecticide-treated bed nets by June 2009. Insecticide-treated bed nets are a simple solution to malaria – the single largest killer of African children under five. Because malaria-carrying mosquitoes typically strike at night, sleeping under a net is a simple and affordable way to help prevent the spread of this disease. Every $10 raised through Spread the Net purchases a bed net that can reduce malaria transmission by 50 per cent and reduce deaths by 25 per cent. A report on Spread the Net in Dalnews quoted Hilary Taylor, co-leader of Dalhousie’s winning team in 2007/2008 as saying: “When you’re given a solution that’s as simple as this to a massive problem, there’s no reason why we can’t tackle it with full force. It’s rewarding.” She is right, and tackling malaria with full force is just what students did in the first year of the Spread the Net Student Challenge, showing a strong commitment, and an ability to achieve incredible results.

Taylor helped to mobilize the entire campus at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia to fundraise for Spread the Net. Through the sale of Spread the Net t-shirts, live music events and competitions with students and faculty, the campus raised an incredible $17,000. Coming out on top as the winner of last year’s challenge with campuses, Dalhousie received a visit from Rick Mercer that was featured on CBC’s Rick Mercer Report.

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Equally impressive, a group of teenagers from Sacred Heart Catholic High School in Newmarket, Ontario, organized Youth Aid – a benefit concert for Spread the Net. Founded by sisters Lauren and Alex O’Brien, Youth Aid was modeled after Live Aid and featured a roster of youth talent, including exceptional dancers and musicians. DVDs of the concert were sold to increase awareness and raise additional funds. These exceptional efforts resulted in an amazing contribution of over $16,500 – the highest among all high schools across the country - providing 1,650 bed nets for impoverished families in Liberia and Rwanda. Register your school for the 2008/2009 Spread the Net Student Challenge and join thousands of students in the fight against malaria. One net. 10 bucks. Save lives. Interested students, school staff, or campus faculty members can learn more about the Spread the Net Student Challenge for 2008/2009 at www.spreadthenet.org. Access full Student Challenge registration details, download great tools for students and educators, and learn more about the countries supported through Spread the Net. Ivana Ljubic Coordinator, School & Youth Campaigns UNICEF Canada

UNICEF Canada www.unicef.ca Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

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MEXICO

THE FLAVOURS OF

MEXICO West of Veracruz, beyond the coffee and vanilla plantations, the road climbs to the high plateau of central Mexico. Tlaxcala is where the indigenous natives and Europeans first mixed. Nearby is the city of Puebla, the ‘Culinary Capital of Mexico,’ where their cuisines mixed; it is also where I was born and where I learned to cook.

Long before there was a specific “Mexican Cuisine,” the Olmecs, Zapotecs, Totonacs, Toltecs and Aztecs came and inter-mixed their cultures, customs and kitchens. For thousands of years before the Europeans arrived, before Rome was even a village, a sophisticated cuisine was developing here.

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Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

When the Spanish came in 1619, many dishes were accepted and adapted but many more were lost. They came to conquer and replicate the culture and cuisine of their homeland. They had little intention of adapting Aztec cuisine, with its unfamiliar forms and tastes. What is not often noted is that all the forms of Spanish culture came with a strong Middle Eastern influence, due to the Moorish rule of Spain for 500 years. The most common ingredients for the endless varieties of today’s Mexican cuisine include tomato, onion, cinnamon, tortilla, chiles – including anchos, pasillas, mulattos and chipotles – pumpkin seeds, raisins, cloves, sesame seeds, almonds, tomatillos, oil, garlic and salt. Nearly half these ingredients arrived in the New World with the Spanish. The Arabic and Persian influence are particularly apparent in the cuisine of Puebla in its use of numerous fruits and spices – such as cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cumin and nutmeg. In 1863 the French invaded, putting Maximiliano on the throne and bringing a French court to Mexico City. Puebla took in the French flavour, adding a touch of their cuisine to ours and making our sauces, soups and pastries even more complex and unique. For those interested in culinary delights, from aficionados to serious cooks, the city of Puebla offers a wonderful location for discovering a cuisine far beyond what is normally thought of as Mexican food. For those a little more culturally daring,

Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

We utilize every part of it. The silk is used for a tea and making dolls, the stalks to feed the animals, and husks for wrapping food. The kernels are soaked in water and cooked with lime or wood ashes (enhancing the protein value) and then ground into a dough called masa, to be used in innumerable forms, first of course being for tortillas – a food, an eating utensil and a wrap for whatever it can hold. Masa can be used flat, round, oval, thick or thin. It can be steamed, fried dry or with oil, filled or covered with a sauce, beans, meat, mushrooms or blossoms.

MEXICO

It was based on corn as it still is. In all its variations corn has run through our culture for more than 7,000 years.

there is the city of Tlaxcala (1/2 hour from Puebla), which is rich in history and off the usual tourist route. It is a little-known colonial town that feels like stepping back 50 years into a Mexico virtually untouched by tourists. It is a good location for a quiet base to visit Puebla and then return to the stars in the county night. The real gourmet cooking here was kept in households for special occasions; it is almost never found in restaurants and nearly lost to the present generation of Mexicans as the culture is changing from outside influences. But for those who are interested in actually cooking this cuisine there are Mexican cooking schools for a handson experience. The wonderful part is that you don’t have to be an advanced cook to learn this type of cooking.

Classes can be based on the ability of each person in order to make the techniques simple to learn, but you’ll be surprised how complex the flavors turn out. Although chiles are used, this is not a cuisine that is about hot and spicy (unless you want it to be). The chiles are used for flavors as ancient as in the Aztec and as sophisticated as in French cuisine. Take the chance to be guided through the preparation of red and green pipian with rabbit or lamb, a subtle almond duck, squash blossom soup or the dessert ‘fiancées sighs,’ with walnuts covered in syrup, lemon and cinnamon. The list is far too long to enumerate. It has to be told in a Mexican kitchen with all its customs and stories. Of course this area is filled with archaeological sites, extinct volcanoes, mountain forests, hot springs, colonial cities and much, much more to see. What a wonderful way to spend a week: with others from around the world, glass of wine in hand, swapping tales and hearing stories about Mexico and its culture while cooking and tasting its food. What a wonderful thing to take home: Mexican cooking to use and enjoy for years to come with family and friends instead of just returning with photographs and trinkets. Contributed by: Estela Salas Silva Owner of Mexican Home Cooking School www.mexicanhomecooking.com

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PROFILE

CENTRO LINGUISTICO ITALIANO DANTE ALIGHIERI

School/Institution Name: Centro Linguistico Italiano Dante Alighieri, Florence Italy, est. 1965 Institution Type(s) : Language School Public / Private: Private Special Features of the Location:

The Centre was founded in 1965 as Italy’s first private language school and is directed by Alberto and Gabriella Materassi. The primary location of the school is Florence, the birthplace of Dante Alighieri, who is known as “the father of the Italian language.” A second language center has been located in Rome since 1981. The school is recognized by the Italian Ministry of Education and by the Tuscany Regional Government. CLIDA offers a wide range of courses in the world’s most popular Italian-speaking regions. As our previous students from around the world can confirm, you can always rely on the quality of our teaching, the services we provide and the school’s resources. The students that attend our schools feel comfortable in our surroundings; they have easy access to all that the centers have to offer and find our friendly assistance. CLIDA’s teaching staff is composed of highly-qualified professors with Masters degrees in subjects such as Humanities, Political and Social Sciences as well as Natural Sciences and Economics. Courses and Programs The school offers a variety of group courses on Italian language and culture. Our language courses are taught at various levels, from beginners up to one for those wishing to teach Italian abroad. Each level last 4 weeks and it’s possible to attend the school for any length of time between 2 weeks and 9 months, all year around. CLIDA has a special Academic Year course and also offers Internship Programs. We design internships for each individual student’s interests, desires, skills and goals. All internships take place in work places in or around Florence or Rome.

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Located in the heart of Florence, close to museums, monuments, train station; open all year round.

Programs Offered : Group Italian Classes, Private Instruction, Culture Classes, Cooking and Wine Tasting Classes, Internship Programs, Art and Literature Courses and Academic Year Abroad Programs.

Additional programs available are: Wine Tasting and Cooking lessons, Special Purpose Italian courses, Italian + Fashion or Design, Italian + TEFL.

The following services are offered and organized by CLIDA:

• Computer lab equipped with Internet and wireless network for use during hours of operation • Technical and computer consulting • Instructors on hand for every need and occasion • Tutoring • Personalized study programs • Silent Keyboard • Video library with over 1400 movies • Reading Room • Movie Viewing Center • Fax and photocopy services • Airport transfer assistance • Guided City Tours at the beginning of every month • Visits to churches and museums • Organization of free time • Discounts at restaurants • Hotel, restaurant, travel and sightseeing reservations • Assistance in finding medical aid • Assistance for acquiring Permission of Stay (Permesso di Soggiorno) • Assistance in finding accommodations

Total Number of Students: 930 Total Number of International Students: 895 Accommodation Options: Shared student apartments, Family-stay with breakfast and dinner, private apartments. All lodging is organized and monitored by our specialized housing coordinator. Student Life: Florence is safe city and lively city. Everything is in walking distance and supermarkets, internet cafés, wifi hot spots, airports and train stations are easily accessible. Excursions to places like Le Cinque Terre, culture courses, trips in and around Florence are all organized by the school. CLIDA’s staff is always ready to lend a hand by answering any of your questions and helping you with anything pertaining to your stay in Italy. Florence is surrounded by busy squares, popular markets and beautiful architecture. There is never a dull moment in this magical city! Contact Details: Centro Linguistico Italiano Dante Alighieri Email: study@clida.it Phone: +39 055211211 Fax: +39 055287828 www.clida.it

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FINLAND

Finland A Natural Choice

The Finnish institutions of higher education offer a generous choice. We have an extensive network of institutions covering the whole country, from the southern metropolitan area to the Arctic Circle. All institutions are internationally oriented with special regional features: Students can choose between very different study environments, ranging from large urban campuses to close-to-nature campuses.

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Finland is situated in northern Europe, neighbouring Sweden, Norway and Russia. It is a country and culture where East meets West under the special Nordic influence. It is a member of the EU where it represents Nordic democracy and its way of living. With this combination of Western and Eastern influences, Finnish culture has developed into something strong and highly individual.

Finland is a peaceful, well-organized country where English is widely spoken. It is a global leader in information technology, and it has one of the most advanced education systems in the world.

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FINLAND

In Finland, everyone has the right to basic education free of charge. In addition, higher education is free of charge, which means that there are no tuition fees. This same principle goes for international students as well. In higher levels, students pay for their living costs, transportation and books. The average amount of living expenses incurred is approximately 700 Euros (CAD 1100) a month. Erasmus Mundus: Possibilities for Students Coming from Non-EU Countries Higher Education Consists of Two Parallel Sectors Finland’s higher education system consists of two complementary sectors: Universities and Polytechnics. Finnish universities promote free research and scientific and artistic learning, and provide higher education based on research. All 20 universities are owned and funded by the state. Ten universities are multi-faculty universities, three are universities of technology, three are schools of economics and business administration, and the remaining four are art academies. The number of degree students at Finnish universities in 2007 was approximately 176,000, of which close to 5,900 were international degree students. Universities confer Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees and at the postgraduate level, Licentiate’s and Doctor’s degrees. All degrees are measured in ECTS credits. Bachelor’s degrees are worth 180 credits and take three years. Master’s degrees are worth 120 credits, and take two years to accomplish. A Doctor’s degree normally takes four years of full-time study. Finnish polytechnics – most of which define themselves as universities of applied sciences – were established to meet the changing requirements and developmental needs of the world of employment. There are 26 polytechnics operating in the fields of humanities and education; culture; social sciences, business

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and administration; natural sciences; technology, communication and transport; natural resources and the environment; social services, health and sports and tourism; and catering and domestic services. In 2006 there were approximately 132,000 students at polytechnics. In 2007 the amount of international degree students at polytechnics was over 5,400 and is on the increase.

The European Union’s Erasmus Mundus programme offers a real opportunity for students and scholars coming from countries outside of the EU. The cornerstones of this programme are over 100 integrated, top-quality Master’s courses that lead to an officially-recognized double, joint or multiple Master’s degree.

Polytechnic degrees are Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. Bachelor’s degrees are worth 210–240 ECTS credits, and take from 3.5 to 4.5 years to accomplish. After three years of work experience a student may take a Master’s degree (60–90 credits). Independent Work in a Relaxed Atmosphere Institutions provide over 400 Englishspeaking degree and non-degree programmes. Internationally-acclaimed Finnish expertise and know-how in ICT, biotechnology, forestry and environmental sciences, architecture and design are present in these international programmes. Studying in Finland is generally regarded as relatively unregimented. The relationship between students and teachers in Finland is relaxed and informal, and teachers are easy to approach. All students have the right to use the libraries of institutions freely and all institutions provide their students access to the internet. Computers with internet access are available at university libraries or computer centres.

Finnish universities are currently involved in 11 Erasmus Mundus Master’s programmes covering Finnish expertise such as forestry, technology and higher education. Need more information? The Centre for International Mobility (CIMO) is there to help you. See you in Finland! Contributed by: CIMO - Centre for International Mobility www.studyinfinland.fi cimoinfo@cimo.fi

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As a Canadian university student, who went first on exchange and then permanently moved abroad as a foreign degree student, I was privileged to have been exposed to a variety of structures and philosophies in regards to post-secondary education. On a recent visit to Canada, I was struck by the number of newspaper articles advising parents to start hefty investment portfolios for their children’s education while they are still in the womb. My Canadian friends turn green with envy when they hear that in addition to free tuition, student perks in Finland include the free use of sports facilities, subsidized meals, and half-

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price travel on public transportation. Although education in most countries is free from primary to secondary school, only a handful of countries provide post-secondary education without a hefty price tag. In fact, Finland and Sweden are among two of the very few countries to also provide free postsecondary education for all students, both domestic and foreign. Many students from Europe, Asia and Africa have already realized this and one need only go to any one of the universities or universities of applied sciences in Finland to feel that they could be at a school in any of the cosmopolitan urban centres of the world. Indeed, for a small country, Finland seems to be quite popular in the world of academia.

FINLAND

Finland’s Greatest Investment

In 2007, Finland welcomed 8,415 exchange students and the latest figures from 2006 reveal that 8,251 international students had come to this country in that year itself to complete their entire degree. Some might ask why Finland would want to encourage this academic immigration. Why would Finland want to use Finnish tax payers’ money to provide students from around the world a free education? Well, in addition to all the feel-good benefits that an international scholastic environment provides, one reason why Finland, in particular, wants to attract international students is the underlying

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www.hamk.fi

hope that some will be coming with the intention of also working in Finland after they graduate. Labour market organizations estimate that by the year 2030 the amount of people in the Finnish workforce will drop by 300,000. This means that Finland has to step up its efforts to, first of all, attract the students and second, to make sure that they also want to stay in the country to find work. Perhaps it is not a coincidence that Finland and Sweden top the list of the world’s most innovative countries, along with Denmark, Germany and Britain, which have also had a history of free education. Thanks in part to the results of the Pisa study, Finland’s high level of education has become quite well known throughout the world. Ensuring equitable access to this education is considered by Finns as a fundamental right and is seen as a cornerstone of the modern Finnish information society that encourages innovation, research and development. So, to sum up, as they say, “Probably, no nation is rich enough to pay for both war and civilization. We must make our choice; we cannot have both.” The feeling one gets when following the events of the world is that unfortunately many nations seem to favour the less pacifistic side of this equation. I hope that countries, such as Finland, which continue to uphold the principle of accessible education, can prove how this can be just as, if not more, paramount to the national interest. Although I am not a banker, this seems to be the only investment with a guaranteed return. Contributed by: Laura Ojanen Programme Coordinator, Lecturer HAMK University of Applied Sciences laura.ojanen@hamk.fi www.hamk.fi Figures are from studies conducted by: SAMOK – Union of Students in Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences www.samok.fi/images/stories/julkaisut/tutkimus.pdf SYL – The National Union of University Students in Finland www. syl.fi/asiakirjat/kvtutkimus2008/view?cf=snews CIMO – Centre for International Mobility www.cimo.fi/ dman/Document.phx/~public/Julkaisut+ja+tilastot/ Raportit+ja+selvitykset/cimo_publications_1_2008.pdf

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Higher Education

in Finland

HAMK University of Applied Sciences is a cross-cultural higher education institution with a warm, friendly atmosphere and over 20 degree programmes. HAMK is situated centrally in southern Finland within only one hour’s drive from Helsinki or Tampere.

Currently HAMK offers six Bachelor’s Degree Programmes completely in English. BEng Programmes: • Automation Engineering • Construction Engineering • Industrial Management and Engineering (starting Autumn 2009) • Mechanical Engineering and Production Technology • Supply Chain Management BBA Programme: • International Business We provide students with high quality education and essential skills for succeeding in a modern and global working environment. The right attitude and a strong interest in your studies are the key ingredients for increasing your knowledge in your chosen field. Find out how it feels to make new friends while getting a highly valued degree and profession. Visit www.hamk.fi for details. Contact admissions@hamk.fi for further information.

HOLLAND

Expand Your Horizons in

Holland 48

The Netherlands is a country most commonly known for its wooden shoes, tulips, Amsterdam, and its Rembrandt and Van Gogh paintings.

Netherlands is also famous for its studies, research, and innovations in the fields of water management and sustainable energy.

But behind these traditional perceptions of Holland lies a country with excellent and world-renowned research and researchers in the field of science and technology, medicine, arts and humanities and social sciences. The

Excellent internationally-oriented higher education institutions offering a wide range of English-taught programs are taking over the old image of Holland.

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The Kingdom of the Netherlands consists of the Netherlands itself and the six islands of Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles in the Caribbean Sea. The country’s formal name is “Nederland,” meaning “low country,” which refers to the fact that much of the land is at or below sea level. Today the Netherlands is mostly called “Holland,” referring to the names of the two western coastal provinces, North and South Holland, which were the most developed and wealthiest parts of the country in the 17th century and played a dominant role in the country’s history. The country has a population of 16 million, a total land area of 41,528 square kilometres, and the capital city is Amsterdam. Although a small country in size, Holland has a big international presence and exposure. It is the 15th largest economy in the world. Big multinationals such as Philips, Heineken, KLM, Shell, ING Bank, Unilever and European headquarters of companies such as Sony, Sara Lee and Microsoft have their base in Holland. Why Study in Holland? “Holland is a country that enjoys freedom of speech and thought.” Eko Baskoro Harimulyo (19), Indonesia; BSc in Applied Life Sciences, HAN University of Applied Sciences Holland offers more than 1,390 international study programs, of which 1,376 are taught entirely in English. This makes Holland a frontrunner in English education in continental Europe. See www.studyin.nl for the database of International Study Programs and Courses. High quality of education is achieved through a national system of regulation and quality assurance. The Times Higher Education Supplement ranks 11 universities in Holland among the top 200 in the world. The Problem Based Learning system has also given Holland international acclaim. Interactive teaching and teamwork make the international classroom attractive for both Dutch and international students. Small classes also give the opportunity to communicate directly with the professor. This Dutch teaching style

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HOLLAND

Holland or The Netherlands?

helps students develop their own independent opinions and creativity in the study and research. Tuition fees are reasonable in Holland compared with other countries. EU students pay approximately € 1,600 (CAD 2500) per academic year, while the tuition fee for non-EU students is generally higher. The individual school you are interested in will have its own tuition fees for your reference. Holland is a safe country when compared internationally. Violence and street crime is very low. People are helpful and almost everyone speaks English.

Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied Sciences). A third type of higher education is available from the International Education institutes that offer specialized and advanced programs oriented only towards international students. There are five large International Education institutes. See www.pie.ihe.nl (The Platform for International Education). All research universities and universities of applied sciences offer Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. Doctorate (PhD) degrees are only offered by research universities and take four years.

Education System Financing Your Studies The Netherlands has two main types of higher education: research universities and universities of applied sciences. There are 14 government-funded research universities. The research universities focus on independent academic study and research. However, many programs are oriented towards a specific profession and graduates mostly work outside of the academic world. There are about 206,000 students enrolled in research universities. See www.vsnu.nl (The Association of Universities in the Netherlands). The universities of applied sciences (hogescholen) are more practically oriented, helping students acquire practical work experience through internships. There are 41 governmentfunded universities of applied sciences, which enroll about 370,000 students. See www.hbo-raad.nl (The

You can study in the Netherlands through an exchange program. There are many exchange program agreements between Dutch higher education institutions and partner institutions all over the world and you can find information about such exchange programs from the student advisor, study abroad co-ordinator and/or international office at your local university. You can also avail yourself of the different scholarships provided by the Dutch government and the European Union. Some of the scholarships are Huygens Scholarship Programs, Erasmus Mundus, Tempus, Netherlands Fellowship Programs and several scholarships provided by the Dutch higher education institutions. Check out www.grantfinder.nl. Please also check scholarships provided by your home country government. Study In Canada • Study Abroad

HOLLAND After Graduation After studying in Holland, you could return home or maybe stay a little bit longer to travel through Holland and Europe. Some of you might want to carry on with your studies or research while others might want to look for a job. There are several possibilities. After doing a Bachelor’s degree, you might want to carry on with a Master’s program. And a Master’s student may want to apply for a PhD. If you want to

The website www.studyinflanders.be provides information about study opportunities in Flanders, Belgium for foreign students, researchers and academics. The information is clustered in different chapters: Flanders, the Flemish higher education system, research, and practical information on how to prepare your stay. Information regarding the higher education institutions and the study programmes (accredited non Dutch-language courses) can be retrieved through search engines. Further details and contact references are summarized in fact sheets.

WWW.STUDYINFLANDERS.BE

search for a job in Holland, you can do so within a year after graduation. Please check www.studyin.nl or www.ind.nl for more detailed information. Living in Holland Holland has a cosmopolitan lifestyle without forgetting the history and cultural traditions of the country. You can experience the modern and high-tech world alongside the cheese markets held in the traditional way even today. The contrasts are a part of Dutch daily life and they are not in conflict. Holland is also rich in art and architecture and home to some famous artists like Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Piet Mondrian, the CoBra movement, Vermeer and architects like Jouke Post and Rem Koolhaas. There are more than 1,000 museums to visit and theatres and musicals are also very popular amongst the Dutch. One can also experience the packed terraces along the many canals in the Netherlands on a bright and sunny day. The Dutch believe in secularism. One can find a huge religious diversity in the big cities with churches, mosques, synagogues, temples and other places of worship. The cost of living in Holland is modest compared to cities like New York, London, Paris and Beijing. Students spend around € 700-€ 1000 (CAD 1100-1600) per month on housing, food and other expenses. “I like the magic of the Dutch culture, Dutch people and Holland’s beautiful countryside. The best thing about the Dutch culture is that it easily accepts and integrates with the other cultures.” Shenghua Tan (21), China. Bachelor in International Business and Management Studies, The Hague University of Applied Sciences Contributed by: Netherlands Organization for International Co-operation in Higher Education (NUFFIC ) www.NUFFIC.nl info@nuffic.nl

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STUDY INTERNATIONAL HOSPITALITY & TOURISM MANAGEMENT OR EUROPEAN CULINARY ARTS IN A TRULY INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT! American Bachelor's Degree

Available in Switzerland and completed in as little as 27 months!

Swiss Diploma or Advanced Diploma in Hotel & Tourism Management MBA or Post-Graduate Diploma in Hotel & Tourism Management Advanced Diploma in European Culinary Management Certifications in European Gourmet Cuisine or European Pastry & Chocolate Students from 35 Countries Transfer Applications Welcome! All Programs Fully US-Accredited

Study + Work Abroad Opportunities

DCT International Hotel & Business Management School

Seestrasse 6354 Vitznau-Lucerne Switzerland

WWW.DCT.CH www.culinary.ch

Skype: DCTSwissInfo Swiss phone: +41 41 399 00 00 US phone: 1-617-381-4DCT (4328) admission@dct.ch

DCT, where you will make your career Dreams Come True!

GERMANY

Study Options Abound in

Germany 52

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It really isn’t an easy decision, especially because so many different questions come into play. You have to give it careful thought and must try not to leave too much to chance. When choosing your future university, the quality of teaching, the research profile and the reputation of the university’s academics are all crucial factors that will play an important role during your time at school as well as in your post-study activities and career search. The rankings produced regularly by employers in both the academic world and industry show us that degrees awarded by an internationallyrenowned university substantially increase your chances of getting highquality positions, contributing to an improved career path. So make the best possible choice for your future, by deciding to study in Germany, for example! Many motivated students from all around the world have already chosen to take this path. Holders of foreign university entrance qualifications have an excellent chance of getting a quality study placement in Germany. In fact, some 188,000 students from around the world are studying in Germany right now. Source: http://www.wissenschaft-weltoffen. de/daten/1/1/2

Five Good Reasons to Study in Germany 1. First-class service for international students: Arrive and immediately feel at home Germany’s universities offer all-around service to ensure that you quickly and with ease settle into your studies and everyday life in Germany. Services range from helping you to find the right place to live or a job, to academic advising and legal advice. You are sure to find all the help you need. Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

2. Wide choice of degree programs: Helping you make the most of your talents There is practically nothing that you cannot study in Germany. The enormous range of study and qualification possibilities offered by Germany’s universities opens up the very best opportunities for your academic and professional development, as you gain lots of new and exciting knowledge and insight. And this combination will enable you to use your maximum capacity. All students can find a degree program that suits their personal skills, talents and interests. And if you are talented but cannot afford to study, Germany has a comprehensive system of scholarships and grants, including special support for international students. View the scholarship database on www.daad.de/deutschland/foerderung/ stipendiendatenbank/00462.en.html 3. Excellence in research and teaching: Learning from the best is the best thing you can do for yourself German universities attach great importance to basic research. Leading researchers from around the world conduct top-rate research and also teach at their research universities. This means that they are able to readily pass on the very latest information and findings to their students and to young researchers whom they may be mentoring. The close and synergisitic connection between research and teaching is the foundation on which the excellent training offered at Germany’s universities is built. 4. Close links between theory and practice: From lecture hall to practical application The success of world-class ‘Made in Germany’ technology illustrates how basic research and its applications work together as a real team. Close cooperation between Germany’s universities and industry benefits everybody; above all, students. Students like you learn first-hand how basic research findings and scientific

principles can develop into marketable products. And, you can get a close glimpse and insight into the working world, a real advantage for the future.

GERMANY

Are you still wondering about where to study and which is the best university for you?

5. Strong international focus: Excellent achievements through worldwide networks The work done by Germany’s universities knows no geographical boundaries: They are international players with an interdisciplinary approach. They are committed to bringing together the very best minds and the very best ideas. Numerous programs facilitate cooperation between researchers, while a wide range of study options and opportunities promotes international student exchange. German degrees are recognized around the world, a particularly valuable asset. If you graduate from a program in Germany or even only complete a portion of your studies here, you will secure the choice of being able to do your doctorate in Germany or at a foreign university. You get the freedom to decide whether you want to continue your studies in Germany or elsewhere. So come and discover what we have to offer!

Degree Programs in Germany for Undergraduates and Graduates The Perfect Start to an International Career Bologna Process: At first, the name is a bit confusing. But Bologna Process is not some special recipe for spaghetti with meat sauce. Rather, it stands for the fascinating plan to create a single European Higher Education Area by 2010. Thousands of students from throughout Europe are already profiting from the Bologna Declaration of 1999. At the conference, representatives of 29 European countries decided to make academic degrees more comparable and transparent Europe-wide, to create Study In Canada • Study Abroad

GERMANY

common quality standards, and to promote student and staff mobility. The result is also that German qualifications are more aligned with those in North America. Full speed ahead for international degrees – Bachelor’s and Master’s: Thanks to the Bologna Process, students from around the world can study in an international Bachelor’s program at a German university. After gaining the first academic degree with professional qualification (six to eight semesters of study), you can continue your studies in a Master’s program (between two and four semesters). This is possible because Germany is currently introducing two-cycle, internationally-recognized academic degrees (Bachelor’s in the first cycle and Master’s in the second). These will replace the traditional German academic degrees of Diplom and Magister by 2010. However, discussions are currently being held on how to govern the Staatsexamen degree. The Staatsexamen is awarded in disciplines that are subject to state supervision (for example, law, teaching and medicine). Some German universities already only allow student applicants to enroll in the two-cycle programs (Bachelor’s/Master’s). The German higher education institutions have already switched some 67 percent of all degree programmes to Bachelor’s (approx.4,540) and Master’s (approx. 3,060), and that figure is growing by the day. Taking small steps to the great goal: When looking for the right degree program in Germany, there are several options to choose from: Diplom course, Bachelor’s program or consecutive Bachelor’s/Master’s program. “Making the right decision was not easy. A plus for the Diplom course was that a German university Diplom enjoys a high reputation in the Czech Republic. The Bachelor’s was interesting, because it only lasted three years and was instructed in English,”

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reports Czech student Tomás. In the end, he opted for the consecutive program (Bachelor’s plus Master’s), This means that the four-semester Master of International Business Administration builds directly on the six-semester Bachelor of International Business Administration program. This format is good because Tomás will certainly gain his first academic degree with professional qualifications after three years of university studies. So he can then start looking for work. Or, he could – as long as he holds a good Bachelor’s degree – continue his studies in a Master’s program. This continuing qualification will open up interesting management positions in international companies and organizations for Tomás later in life. Another option would see Tomás take up a doctoral program. International Degree Programs especially for foreign students: Germany’s universities offer International Degree Programs particularly for student applicants from abroad. English is the language of instruction in most of these programs (and sometimes French). Parallel German-language courses enable participants to acquire and extend their German language skills, but English is a part of everyday university life. For admission to an International Master’s

and PhD Program, students need to prove that they graduated from their first level program with a good grade. The first two semesters are held in English only. As from the second academic year, some courses are also taught in German. Doctoral programs for holders of especially good qualifications: The international degree program has a special feature: you can gain a Master’s degree after four semesters of study or can move over to a doctoral program after the third semester. Another four semesters of study there and you can obtain a PhD degree. It requires lots of hard work, but the effort is worth it. Doctoral programs at Germany’s universities offer excellent support, guidance and supervision. Those who gain their doctorate in such a program can look forward to excellent career prospects in international research. So, you’d like to study, do research or complete a continuing education course in Germany? The Higher Education Guide which the DAAD publishes in cooperation with the German Rectors’ Conference - The Voice of the Universities - will show you which German universities or colleges offer the subject of your choice.

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You can find their information on study opportunities in Germany in two separate databases. You just need to select the appropriate database on the basis of your academic qualifications:

Staatsexamen, go to www.daad.de/ deutschland/studienangebote/allestudiengaenge/06540.en.html and follow the instructions on DAAD’s database search.

course or obtain a Konzertexamen degree, then use www.daad.de/ deutschland/studienangebote/allestudiengaenge/06541.en.html to do a detailed database search.

1. If you hold a secondary school leaving certificate or a higher education entrance qualification and now want to take up a course of academic study in Germany or to complete a Bachelor’s degree or a German degree such as Diplom, Magister or

2. If you already hold a first academic degree awarded in Canada or elsewhere, such as a Bachelor’s degree, and are looking to continue your studies in Germany to gain your Master’s degree, attend a postgraduate degree

DAAD – Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst German Academic Exchange Service www.daad.org www.daad.de DAAD Information Centre, Toronto Ph: 416 926 2308

GERMANY

‘’The German Diplom degree that is awarded in engineering and the natural sciences enjoys an excellent reputation worldwide. International students who gain a Diplom at a German university can generally look forward to outstanding career prospects in their home countries. Diplom degrees are to be replaced by Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees by 2010. This is why some universities no longer admit students to Diplom courses. But universities with a technical or engineering focus, in particular, do continue to offer Diplom courses. It may still be worth your while enrolling in a degree course that leads to a Diplom. Ask the university of your choice which degrees you can gain (and until when).’’

GERMANY

Architecture Students On the Road: Fachochschule Frankfurt am Main University of Applied Sciences and Ryerson University Academic partnerships between Canada and the German state of Hessen have a long and successful tradition – currently, there exist more than 30 partnerships between universities in the two regions. However, German is still not as widely used among Canadian students as English or French are among Germans, and keeping student exchanges in balance can be a challenge. In response, programs in English such as the summer Hessen:ISUs as well as Master’s and PhD programs are being created, and new ways to collaborate are being sought and found. The architecture departments at Ryerson University in Toronto and Fachhochschule Frankfurt am Main University of Applied Sciences (FH Frankfurt) came up with a unique solution to this challenge: Each year, students and faculty come together for intensive 10-day study tours which alternate between Canada and Europe. On these trips, they step outside the day-to-day of the classroom to see 56

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first-hand how architecture and culture reflect and impact each other – and along the way, many of them make lifelong friends. On the most recent trip in summer 2008, 22 students and three professors from each school formed a group of 50 which traveled through France, Germany, and Switzerland to study the architecture of Le Corbusier. International study tours themselves are relatively common, but study tours with an international partner are far rarer. Each trip has an equal number of Canadian and German students and professors and every effort is made to maximize cultural exchange. Parts of what makes these trips possible are the lower costs of group travel, as well as some sponsorship from the universities and the City of Frankfurt. The students also get involved with the planning, including setting up meetings, tours, and guides – as well as organizing private add-on trips to neighboring countries. Spending days together visiting diverse architectural highlights – and

nights together in youth hostels, restaurants, and pubs – the Canadian and German students practice intercultural communication and expand their sense of the “right way” to get something done. Friendships built during this kind of intense experience are unique and many of the students stay in touch via visits to each other’s countries or at least through the virtual ties of Facebook and email. It becomes obvious that even a short trip abroad can have a lasting impact on academic and professional life as well. Nicholas Seed, a Ryerson graduate who participated in two of the study tours, talked about how his professors commented on the “European flair” of his thesis and feels that he is more competitive as a potential employee: “In architecture, they can send you anywhere and international experience is priceless.” On every one of the trips, students are asked to diligently and intelligently observe, record, discuss, and report on what they are seeing and complete Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

On the first trip, taken in 2006, students visited between 30 and 40 museums throughout Germany to study their architecture. The Ryerson students, who receive academic credit for this trip, produced a 500-page book about the experience and each had to complete at least nine sketches and an essay relating a German idea to a German building. In 2007, students from FH Frankfurt traveled with their Ryerson counterparts to Toronto and Montreal to get a feel for the North American city. Kenneth Sit, a Ryerson student who participated in both of these trips, talked about the experience of being a host: “[The German students] brought their knowledge and views of architecture and culture to Canada and there were a lot of discussions among us about the Canadian landscape. It is always very interesting to see how other students from different countries think and process their ideas compared to how we were taught to.” Ryerson students learn “cultural survival skills” for Germany as part of the pre-departure orientation given by Professor Yew-Thong “YT” Leong, who is responsible for the relationship with FH Frankfurt. Studying abroad allows you to test stereotypes of both another and your own culture, although sometimes they’re proven true. Sasan Niknam, an FH Frankfurt student, said, “The Canadians said that the Germans were very well organized, on time, structured, etc.” Seed agreed with that assessment, attributing some of the differences, particularly the German affinity for engineering and machines, to the way the country was unified in the 19th century. Professor Herbert Gies, the coordinator for the program at the FH Frankfurt, said that, “Students absolutely gain insight into the country and also the country’s architecture’’ during the 10-day trips. He also believes, however, that longer stays abroad can

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GERMANY

one major group design exercise known as a “charette.” For the 2008 exercise, which was completed at the FH Frankfurt’s urban campus, students had to imagine that a Le Corbusier house on Lake Geneva had burned down. Mixed groups of Canadian and German students came up with proposals for an open-space museum to house newly-found sculptures by the architect.

give a deeper impression of the way that architecture is practiced and taught and sees the primary hindrance as the language. A new Master’s degree program in ‘Urban Agglomerations’ at FH Frankfurt will be taught entirely in English and includes a full semester abroad at one of their partners in Australia, Brazil, Chile, or Sweden. The planning has already begun for next summer, when a new group of Ryerson and FH Frankfurt students will meet in Canada again – just as planning is taking part in departments at universities across Canada for similar trips. Seed had never been to Europe before coming to Germany in 2006 and said that the group aspect gave them that “little bit of security and familiarity” that was comforting for their trip. He’s just returned from a solo journey to Europe and plans to go back…

Megan Brenn-White is the Executive Director of the Hessen Universities Consortium office in New York which helps the 12 state-funded universities in the German state of Hessen reach out to North American students and institutions. www.hessen-universities.org

Hessen International Summer Universities Welcome to your summer in the heart of Germany! Four-week sessions in Frankfurt, Fulda, Giessen, Kassel and Marburg on: European Integration Financial Markets Intercultural Communications Biotech Ethics Environmental Engineering Global Management Health and Nutrition European Culture, Economics and Politics and many more topics... Earn credits, build your resume, make life-long friends from around the world, and get a German and European perspective on your field. Courses for 2009 are online now!

Contributed by: Megan BrennWhite

Germany: June-August 2009

www.isu-hessen.de info@isu-hessen.de

FRANCE

Studying Fashion

in Paris Making the Dream a Reality

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FRANCE

When we think of Paris, what immediately comes to mind is the beautiful silhouette of the Eiffel Tower, the romantic view of the Seine, the dazzling lights of the Champs Elysées, and of course, fashion. Choosing a school is difficult, and choosing where to relocate for one’s studies may add to the pressure of making the right decision. One thing to keep in mind is that Paris was, and still is, the most important world capital for fashion design. Paris is one of the world’s major fashion centers, home to haute couture and prêt-à-porter, and the birthplace of many renowned designers such as Lanvin, Chanel, Christian Dior, Balenciaga, Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Lacroix. But what is the relevance of the past in today’s hyperfast world, where everything is à la mode and yet démodé at nearly the same time? In fashion, the past is highly relevant and consistently acts as a foundation for future trends. For example, India, Turkey, and South Africa currently organize respective fashion weeks completely independent of the heavy hitters in New York, London, Paris and Milan. But what has been the common language that has allowed and even encouraged such a growth? Designers, stylists, and virtually anyone involved in the industry will say it is the shared history of art. The influence of Paris’s rich artistic environment on a designer is undeniable. While museums and cultural centers like the Palais de Tokyo or the Fondation Cartier have their fingers on the pulse of the contemporary art scene, museums like the Louvre or the Musée d’Orsay make us fall in love all over again with classical art. Fashion exhibitions at the Musée Galliera or the Musée des Arts Décoratifs are important sources for designers and brands as well as reflecting today’s trends. And the beginnings of trends? They are to be found in the streets of Paris and are then translated for the public at concept stores like Colette, Onward or Spree. Having these reference points is one of the vital tools of a designer. The most important fairs in Europe take place twice a year in Paris during Fashion Week: the Prêt-à- Porter (ready-to-wear), where business

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deals are made; Expofil, the starting point, where the thread orders are placed; and Première Vision, where the fabric and textile trends are set for the season. Paris is the city that hosts the highest number of fashion events if we include the non-scheduled ones, events that are not registered with the Féderation de Prêt- à-Porter or the Chambre Syndicale. Paris fuses the upstart spirit of the Anglo-Saxon culture with French tradition. Marc Jacobs splits his time between Paris and New York, working as both Creative Director for Louis Vuitton and heading his own brand. John Galliano, who was raised in London, was the first British designer to head a French couture house with Givenchy, and he has been Artistic Director for the women’s collections at Dior since 1996. The Californian Rick Owens designed for his avant- guarde brand as well as for Revillon, one of the oldest and most traditional French luxury fur brands in Paris. All of these business and creative moves have led us to an era of a younger, more energetic feeling in French fashion. For all these reasons, studying fashion design in Paris is an incomparable experience, but it is important to find a school that fits one’s personal needs and strengths. David Peck, a recent Fashion Design School graduate advises: “An important thing to think about when choosing a school is what you want to do at the end of your studies. If

you want to eventually become a creative or artistic director, schools like Parsons Paris and Studio Berçot would be better suited to you. If, on the other hand, you are more interested in a specific area of fashion such as patternmaking or draping, Esmod or the Chambre Syndicale may be more your style. As with choosing any school, find out where their graduates work. This can help you to decide where your focus should be.“ Another important point for David was the internship program. “While studying in Paris, it is extremely important to do internships. Employers can be reluctant to hire anyone they don’t know or haven’t worked with before, but once you are hired you will learn more about what it really means to be in the industry by actually working, and you will also gain valuable work experience. Besides, I found that much of what I learned at work was directly applicable to my work at school.” There is much to consider when choosing the right program for you, but there are also many options. But Paris is the indisputable choice of cities in which to study fashion and design. Contributed by : Parsons Paris 14 rue Letellier 75015 Paris, France www.parsons-paris.com continuingeducation@parsons-paris.com

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Education UK Innovative - Individual - Inspirational 60

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UNITED KINGDOM © David Iliff - Istockphoto.com

If you choose to follow a course of study in the UK, you become part of a tradition dedicated to excellence and innovation that has produced over 40 Nobel Prize winners within the last 50 years in the field of science alone. A tradition that:

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• Invented the principle of the worldwide web • Developed the world’s first programmable computer • Produces 9% of the world’s scientific papers and 13% of the most highly-cited (not bad for a country with only 1% of the world’s population)

• Produces 16 research papers for every £1million invested, compared with 10 in the US and 4 in Japan

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UNITED KINGDOM

Part of the reason that UK qualifications are so highly valued across the world is the strict measures of quality imposed on them. The UK is world renowned for operating a unique quality-assurance system that ensures accountability in all areas. From student support services to their teaching staff, every school, further education and higher education establishment is subject to rigorous scrutiny in respect of their quality standards. The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) ensures that UK higher education is of a standard that’s respected and admired across the world. Every few years, the Research Assessment There are many reasons why you should study in the UK and an even greater number of subjects to choose from: Courses from accountancy to zoology are delivered at hundreds of universities and colleges of higher education, and a UK degree will allow you to specialize in the subject that interests you, in a country renowned globally for the quality of its research and the reputation of its academics. UK undergraduate qualifications are respected and valued all over the world, which is why students from more than 180 different countries are currently studying at this level in the UK. A bachelor’s degree, Higher National Diploma (HND) or Foundation Degree from a UK college or university will give you an edge when you’re competing for a job or a place in a postgraduate course. It will show employers that you’re capable and used to conducting and analyzing your own research. If you intend to continue in academia, the research skills you gain provide the perfect introduction to future postgraduate study. UK postgraduate qualifications – Master’s degree, PhD or MBA – are also respected and valued internationally. Most Master’s degrees and MBAs at UK universities last one year, compared with two in many other countries. Choosing the UK means that you only have to pay tuition fees for one year and you’ll be back in the workplace before you know it. While you’re here, you’ll be part of a truly international community – a high percentage of postgraduate students in the UK are international and you may find as many as 50 different 62

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nationalities on a single campus. With such fantastic experience behind you, you’ll be ready to hit the ground running by the time you finish your course. UK qualifications let employers know at a glance that you’ve got the skills they’re looking for, putting you on the right track for a great job and a great salary. One year after graduating, more than 95% of UK undergraduates are employed. If you want to be a doctor or lawyer, you obviously have to have the appropriate qualifications, but a degree is just as necessary for many other careers, such as government service, publishing, public relations and marketing. A degree will let employers know that you’re capable of independent thought, able to undertake research and analysis and that you’re prepared to work hard.

Exercise (RAE) takes place to judge the quality of research being carried out in UK colleges and universities. It is through quality-assurance systems such as this that the UK maintains its reputation as a world leader with respect to the quality of its education, and continues to provide a valued educational experience to an increasing number of international students. The wide range of courses on offer gives you a huge amount of flexibility. You can enrol in a Bachelor’s degree from the beginning, or you can start by taking a two-year HND or Foundation Degree and then top up to a degree afterwards if you want. You can study a single honours degree where you’ll focus entirely on one subject, or study two subjects in a joint honours or combined honours degree. At the postgraduate level, you can start by enrolling in a postgraduate diploma course (PG Dip), then transfer to a

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At a UK university you’ll be mixing with people from all over the world, whose different backgrounds and new perspectives will add to your experience. International students form 14% of the full-time student population in the UK and 43% at research postgraduate level. No matter where you study, you’ll meet students from Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas and Australasia. University cultural societies will give you social experiences that will shape your view of the international community in which you’ll soon be looking to make your career. To find out more about studying in the UK, please visit the British Council’s Education UK website at www.educationuk.org Contributed by: Liane Fraser Information Manager, Montréal British Council Canada www.britishcouncil.org/canada Education.enquiries@ca.britishcouncil.org

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Master’s degree, or start by taking an MRes - master of research - which could lead on to a PhD. It’s entirely up to you!

UNITED KINGDOM

Law Studies in the UK demonstrating and developing your skills of oral and written communication through presentations and various written assessments, research skills, and opportunities for team work. Learning is enriched by a diverse student community, with students from all over the world contributing different perspectives and helping to create more interesting discussions. Pastoral care is ensured by a personal tutor system, whereby each student is allocated a tutor who is there to monitor progress and provide invaluable advice and support, not to mention writing you important references!

A UK Law degree offers an exceptional educational experience and an internationally recognised qualification providing a gateway to a successful career. The LLB is a three year programme that covers the core legal subjects required to practice as a lawyer, as well as leaving space for a wide selection of optional units. The core subjects, which are compulsory at most Law schools, are as follow: Constitutional and Administrative Law, Tort Law, Contract Law, Criminal Law, Property Law, European Union Law, and Trusts. Some institutions also require the study of Jurisprudence, or what is also called Legal Theory. Most large Law schools also have a wide variety of optional subjects, ranging from various Commercial

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Law subjects to Medical Law, Environmental Law, Family Law, and numerous International Law and Human Rights Law units. Diverse methodologies of studying Law are also well-represented, from ‘traditional’ doctrinal study to theoretical, historical, comparative and socio-legal perspectives. In terms of teaching and learning time, students can expect to have around 9 hours of contact time per week – which divides roughly into 6 hours of lectures and 3 hours of tutorials. The tutorial system is one of the great strengths of UK Higher Education: the small group environment (usually between 8-14 students) offers an interactive and powerful means of learning and enhancing key transferable skills which are embedded into the curriculum. Ample opportunities exist for

The top UK universities pride themselves on ‘research-led teaching,’ which means that courses are led by academics engaged in shaping the research agenda by publishing important works and contributing to the development of policy on the national, and sometimes international, stage. This helps provide a stimulating learning environment, and of course, often enables you direct access with the writers of textbooks and academic articles you will need to read for tutorial and exam preparation. In terms of assessment, most degree programmes adopt a mixed model of traditional end-of-year examinations as well as coursework project; and to a certain extent, in terms of optional unit selection, you may tailor your degree according to your assessment strengths. Of course, there is much learning (and fun) to be had outside of the tutorial room and library, and UK Law schools have well-established mooting and debating programmes that enable students to lock horns over a variety of legal problems and political debates, and to obtain invaluable feedback and interaction with notable legal luminaries. For the talented few who progress to the final stages of the mooting competition, the opportunity to engage in legal argument with Appeal Court judges is an exhilarating, albeit daunting, experience!

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Law students also benefit from a full programme of educational and social events organised by student-led Law clubs, ranging from trips to the Inns of Court in London, to pub crawls and glamorous Christmas and summer balls. Admission to the top Law schools is fiercely competitive, and the application process is administered by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Applications are made online at www.ucas.ac.uk and it is advisable to apply before January 15th of the

year of admission. In terms of entry requirements, this will vary depending on the institution, and you should consult the websites of specific institutions and also that of UCAS for detailed information. For top Law schools, typical entry requirements for Ontario students, for example, would be either an average grade of 80 - 90% in the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (which may be either achieved or predicted) or a score of around 35 on the International Baccalaureate with 6 in Higher Level subjects. Some leading Law schools also require applicants to complete the National Admissions Test for Law (LNAT), which is designed to test key skills of logical reasoning and written English, and thus help admissions tutors select the best candidates for a Law degree. Information about sitting the LNAT test is available at www.lnat.ac.uk. Career prospects for graduates from UK Law schools are excellent: most students from top Law schools end up with positions at global Law firms or prestigious sets of Barristers Chambers. Canadians returning home to practice Law must receive

a Certificate of Qualification from the National Committee on Accreditation of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada. For those obtaining an LLB from a Law school in England and Wales, this essentially equates to undertaking an additional 3060 credit hours at a Canadian Law school. Applications are assessed on an individual basis, and more information is available at: www.flsc. ca/en/foreignlawyers/guidelines.asp. All candidates must also successfully complete the licensing process and finally be called to the bar. Further information for Canadian lawyers can be found at: www.citizenship. gov.on.ca/english/working/career/ professions/lawyers.shtml. So, why not study Law in a diverse, challenging and hugely rewarding environment by applying for a place on a three year LLB programme in the UK? Go for it... Good luck! Contributed by: Dr Oliver Quick Senior Lecturer in Law University of Bristol www.bristol.ac.uk/law For more information please contact: iro@bristol.ac.uk

UNITED KINGDOM

Some Law schools also have Law clinics, where students are trained to offer free legal advice to members of the public, and thus benefit from a powerful form of learning by observing Law in action and dealing with real people and their real problems. And some Law schools have pioneered what are known as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Innocence Projects,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; where students investigate the causes and consequences of potential miscarriages of justice. For more information about the groundbreaking work being carried out at some UK law schools in this area see: www.innocencenetwork.org.uk.

UNITED KINGDOM

Application Procedure for

Undergraduate Studies in the UK

Choosing which university or college to go to is a major decision and together with choosing which course to study, you could soon begin to feel a little overwhelmed. This doesn’t have to be the case; with a little personal research and help from UCAS, applying has never been so easy. 66

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UNITED KINGDOM Darren Barker

UCAS is the organization that manages applications to UK higher education courses. We process more than 2 million applications for full-time undergraduate courses every year, as well as help students to find the right course. Good choices require a good deal of research and planning, from thinking about what you want to study and where, through to completing your UCAS online application successfully and receiving offers.

For Fall 2009 Admissions

How to Apply

As an applicant applying from outside the UK or EU, you can apply anytime between September 1, 2008, and June 30, 2009. However, those of you planning to apply to Oxford or Cambridge, or for courses in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine or veterinary science, must apply by October 15, 2008. If you are applying for a deferred (taking a gap year, for instance) entry to any of these courses or for deferred entry to Oxford or Cambridge, you must also apply by October 15, 2008.

Once you have researched all your options and decided that you would like to come to the UK to study, you need to go to www.ucas.com and log onto the online application system called Apply. Apply is a secure, webbased application system designed for all applicants.

Most people apply well before June 30 as some popular courses may not have vacancies after that date. Individual universities or colleges will be happy to tell you if you are not sure.

We are here to assist you. On our website you can search for courses; find out more about UK universities and colleges, their entry requirements and selection procedures; make your application; and even follow its progress through a system called Track.

If you are considering applying for a Route B Art and Design course (which is an alternative route to certain art and design courses), you need to apply between September 1, 2008, and March 24, 2009. UCAS recommend that you apply by March 6, 2009, to avoid the last-minute rush.

To help you achieve your goal of studying in the UK you should use the Course Search facility to research the type of course that you are interested in and where you would like to study. If you are not sure which subject area to choose, you can take the Stamford Test which could help you find out. You can find this test and more on the “What to Study” section of the UCAS website (www.ucas.ac.uk/students/ beforeyouapply/whattostudy).

Any applications that UCAS receives after June 30, 2009, go directly into a process called Clearing. Students who apply late should contact the university or college directly to check that they will accept a late application. Universities and colleges guarantee to consider all applications received by the stated deadlines, but they consider late applications at their own discretion.

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Within the Apply section you will find an overview of the system, its considerable benefits, and a host of information about how to register and pay for your application. You can also find guidance on how to prepare and complete the personal statement and reference, and a list of frequently asked questions, all of which should help you to find the answers you’re looking for. Once your application is submitted, you can follow its progress using the online Track system. You can find more information on applying on the UCAS website www.ucas.ac.uk/students/ nonukstudents. By following the above recommendations, the beginning of your journey into higher education will be smooth, with any questions or problems dealt with by the dedicated customer service advisers at UCAS. Contributed by: Darren Barker Communications Officer / UCAS www.ucas.com communications@ucas.ac.uk

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“Brand” is a marketing buzzword that doesn’t always sit comfortably with the values and principles of higher education. There are connotations of a commercial approach – of selling ‘products’ to ‘customers’ – when surely all of us who work and study in universities are involved in education, personal development of the individual, the acquisition and application of new knowledge and skills…not in marketing and selling?! However, developing a brand demands that we truly examine a university’s core purpose. • What and who is the university there for? • What are we trying to achieve? • What do we want our students’ experience to be? • How do we want to play an active part in a student’s happy and successful life story, of which just a brief but vitally important part will be spent at university? Brand is about purpose and personality, what defines and distinguishes our institution, and in this sense it is directly related to student and staff experience and the very essence of our lives on campus. The University of Essex, one hour north-east of London in the UK, has recently been through a process of self-examination and we have decided that the following features identify what the University is all about:

The UK’s Most Internationally Diverse Campus University

We believe that international students add enormously to the experience of university life. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the views and cultures of others, all in one location. This is a great learning opportunity in itself and a big part of our mission and purpose, with more than 2000 international students from more than 120 different countries.

A Student-Focused University

Without students, there wouldn’t be a univeristy, so it follows that students are the most important people here; as people to challenge and stimulate, and as friends and members of our community. It’s also important to us to recognise that we are preparing students for life after they leave us, and we do all we can to stay in touch through our alumni groups.

An Accessible, Supportive and Friendly University Essex is not the hardest UK univeristy in terms of gaining admission. We want to add value to students who have potential, if not the greatest track record, so that they can achieve to their individual maximum. Development of transferable skills, such as IT, team-working, and other language skills are a big part of what we do, as we want to give our students access to the best range of opportunities when they leave us.

A Top Ten Teaching University and a Top Ten Research University

Quality is important to us: That means the quality of our teaching and research and of the on-campus support facilities such as accommodtion and career advice. Official government figures show that we are very highly ranked for both teaching and research and we want to maintian and develop this position. We have a number of departments, such as Government and Sociology, which have the highest possible reseach ranking. Economics, Electronic Systems Engineering, Philosophy and Sports Science all have the highest possible ranking for teaching quality.

A University with a Commitment to the Environment and to Healthful and Sustainable Living We know that we don’t currently get everything right on this score, but we are fully committed to making an improvement in every way we can, individually and collectively.

So, if you think that “brand” is a just marketing jargon, we hope that this shows how it actually reflects in full the purpose and mission of a university, and how this translates into the best possible student experience, which is what we all should be striving for. Contact: Tim Gutsell Director, International Office University of Essex gutsell@essex.ac.uk

www.essex.ac.uk/international

ANGLETERRE

Education UK Innovative - Individual - Inspirational 70

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• a inventé le principe du Web; • a mis au point le premier ordinateur

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réelle contribution à leur entreprise ou organisation. En revanche, si le milieu universitaire vous intéresse, les aptitudes à la recherche que vous y acquerrez seront une excellence introduction à des études supérieures. Les diplômes des cycles supérieurs du Royaume-Uni - une maîtrise, un doctorat ou encore un M.B.A. - sont aussi respectés et réputés à travers le monde.

En choisissant de suivre un programme d’études au RoyaumeUni, vous adhérerez à une tradition d’excellence et d’innovation qui a produit plus de 40 lauréats du prix Nobel au cours des cinquante dernières années, seulement dans le domaine scientifique. Cette tradition:

programmable;

• produit 9% des articles scientifiques publiés dans le monde et 13% des textes les plus cités (pas mal pour un pays qui compte seulement 1% de la population mondiale); • se traduit par une productivité de recherche supérieure à celle des États-Unis: les chercheurs du Royaume-Uni produisent 16 articles de recherche pour chaque million de £ investi comparativement à 10 articles aux États-Unis et 4 articles au Japon.

S’il existe une foule de raisons pour lesquelles vous devriez étudier au Royaume-Uni, le nombre de matières parmi lesquelles choisir est encore plus grand: des centaines d’universités et de collèges d’éducation supérieure offrent des cours allant de l’aérospatiale à la zoologie et un diplôme britannique vous permettra de vous spécialiser dans le domaine qui vous intéresse, dans un pays réputé partout au monde pour la qualité de sa recherche et l’excellence de ses enseignants.

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Les diplômes de premier cycle du Royaume-Uni sont respectés et reconnus à travers le monde. Un baccalauréat ou encore un diplôme professionnel de type HND ou Foundation délivré par un collège ou une université britannique vous donnera les compétences dont vous aurez besoin pour être dans la course quand viendra le temps d’obtenir un emploi ou une place au sein d’un programme d’études supérieures. Il sera la preuve pour les employeurs que vous êtes capable, faites preuve d’autodiscipline et avez l’habitude de mener et d’analyser vos propres recherches. Ils sauront que vous pouvez apporter une

La plupart des programmes de maîtrise et de M.B.A. des universités britanniques durent une seule année comparativement à deux ans dans plusieurs autres pays. En choisissant d’étudier au Royaume-Uni, vous n’aurez à payer des frais de scolarité que pendant un an et serez de retour sur le marché du travail dans le temps de le dire. Votre séjour au Royaume-Uni vous permettra de vous immerger totalement dans l’anglais, la langue internationale des affaires. En même temps, vous deviendrez partie intégrante d’une communauté vraiment internationale – un pourcentage élevé des étudiants des cycles supérieurs au RoyaumeUni proviennent de l’étranger et on retrouve jusqu’à 50 nationalités différentes sur un même campus. Cette formidable expérience vous donnera une longueur d’avance à la fin de votre cours. Un an après la fin de leurs études, plus de 95 pour cent des diplômés de premier cycle britanniques sont avec l’emploi. Pour devenir médecin

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ANGLETERRE ou avocat, vous devez, bien sûr, avoir les qualifications requises, mais un diplôme est tout aussi important dans de nombreux autres domaines: fonction publique, édition, relations publiques et marketing. Un diplôme indique aux employeurs que vous êtes capable de penser par vous-même, de mener des recherches et des analyses et que vous êtes prêt à travailler fort. Si les diplômes britanniques sont aussi réputés à l’échelle mondiale, c’est en partie à cause des normes de qualité strictes auxquels ils sont soumis. Le Royaume-Uni est reconnu mondialement pour son système unique d’assurance qualité qui garantit une responsabilisation dans tous les secteurs. À la grandeur de l’organisation, depuis les services de soutien à l’étudiant jusqu’au personnel enseignant, chaque école et établissement d’enseignement professionnel et supérieur est l’objet d’un examen rigoureux afin d’assurer le respect de normes de qualité. La Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) veille à ce que l’enseignement supérieur britannique se maintienne à un niveau qui est respecté et admiré partout au monde. Périodiquement, le Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) évalue la qualité de la recherche menée dans les collèges et universités britanniques. C’est grâce à des systèmes d’assurance qualité comme celui-là que le Royaume-Uni conserve sa réputation de chef de file au

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chapitre de la qualité de l’éducation et qu’il continue à offrir une expérience d’apprentissage exceptionnelle à un nombre croissant d’étudiants internationaux. Durant vos études au RoyaumeUni, vous pourrez pratiquez votre anglais tous les jours, dans les boutiques et les cafés, pendant vos sorties avec des amis anglophones ainsi que dans les séminaires et les groupes de discussion de votre programme scolaire. Beaucoup d’universités britanniques offrent des activités de soutien en anglais et, si vous avez besoin d’une assistance supplémentaire avant de commencer, les cours internationaux d’introduction vous aideront à amener vos aptitudes de communication au niveau voulu. Le large éventail de cours offerts vous donne une grande flexibilité. Vous pouvez vous inscrire directement à un programme de baccalauréat, ou commencer par suivre un programme HND ou Foundation de deux ans, puis, si vous le désirez, poursuivre pour obtenir un diplôme. Vous pouvez vous inscrire à un programme spécialisé, consacré à une seule discipline, ou opter pour un programme spécialisé bidisciplinaire ou multidisciplinaire. Aux cycles supérieurs, vous pouvez commencer par vous inscrire à un cours de second cycle (PG Dip), puis passer à la maîtrise ou commencer par suivre des études de MRes – maîtrise de recherche –pouvant conduire au

doctorat. Il n’en dépend que de vous! Dans une université britannique, vous rencontrerez des gens issus des quatre coins du monde, dont les différences culturelles et les nouvelles perspectives enrichiront votre expérience. Les étudiants internationaux constituent 14% de la population étudiante à plein temps au Royaume-Uni et 43% des chercheurs des cycles supérieurs. Peu importe où vous étudierez, vous rencontrerez des étudiants d’Asie, d’Afrique, d’Europe, des Amériques et de l’Australasie. Grâce aux associations culturelles de l’université, vous aurez la chance de comprendre leur culture et de leur faire découvrir la vôtre. Ces expériences sociales façonneront votre perception de la communauté internationale au sein de laquelle vous chercherez bientôt à faire carrière. Pour en apprendre davantage sur les études au Royaume-Uni, visitez le site Web Education UK du British Council à www.educationuk.org. Par: Liane Fraser Gestionnaire d’information, Montréal British Council Canada www.britishcouncil.org/canada Education.enquiries@ca.britishcouncil.org

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Kingston University London www.kingston.ac.uk/international

“[Kingston’s] record on teaching quality puts it in the vanguard of the modern university sector and is a match for many older institutions.” Sunday Times University Guide 2008

email: international@kingston.ac.uk

Kingston University London has high quality teaching and excellent employment links to businesses and institutions located in London, England, a city recognised as one of the world’s most vibrant, historic, and culturally rich capitals. The University is located in the historic market town of Kingston upon Thames, a royal borough within greater London. In 2007 the London Metropolitan Police stated ‘Kingston is among the most affluent boroughs in London with one of the lowest crime rates in the capital.’ Students can access the attractions of the capital very easily (25 minutes by train), but escape its hustle and bustle to live in the leafy suburbs with easy access to parks and outdoor activities. Kingston’s café culture provides plenty of choice for meeting friends. Lively trendy bars, traditional pubs, restaurants, gyms, a 14-screen cinema, 16-lane bowling alley, a fantastic array of shops including a large indoor mall featuring the UK’s top retailers makes the Kingston area particularly appealing to students.

The postgraduate community at Kingston University London is thriving. We offer more taught courses and innovative research programmes than ever before. Our research assessment results show we excel in a wide range of fields. We have a commitment to quality teaching and strong links with industry so that our courses are designed to give you the skills and knowledge to enhance your career opportunities. The University has a strong reputation across a wide range of disciplines and comprises seven faculties: Business and Law; Art and Design and Architecture; Arts and Social Sciences; Science; Engineering; Computing, Information Systems and Mathematics; Health and Social Care Sciences.

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London Location: a world famous capital city, with good travel connections to the rest of UK, Ireland and Continental Europe

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Good Employment prospects: strong teaching and employment links with London’s businesses and institutions. Opportunity to extend student visa after graduation to work in the UK full time for up to 2 years.

• •

Student Population: 19,900+ Diverse Student Body: overseas students represent over 133 different nations and make up 10% of the student population.

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Typical Course Fees: range based on course from £9,000 to £16,000 for the MBA.

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Short Duration: Bachelor’s degrees are 3 years in duration and

Popular Courses (UG and PG) • Creative Economies • Sustainable Communities • International Finance • Business and MBA • Pharmaceutical Science • Cell Biology and Cancer • • • •

Biology Law (LLB and LLM) Education and Teaching Environmental and Earth Resources management Human Rights and Genocide Studies

Masters Degrees are 1 year in duration.

Scholarships and Financial Aid are available for Canadian Students

USA

U.S Colleges and Universities

Want You 74

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Canadian students in increasing numbers are exploring opportunities to further their education in the United States. In fact, approximately 28,000 Canadian students enrolled in U.S. post-secondary institutions during 2006-2007, a 23% increase from the numbers registered just 10 years ago. Traditionally, the primary deterrent for Canadians interested in studying in the United States was cost. Today, with U.S. and Canadian exchange rates hovering at par and many northern U.S. colleges/universities offering Canadian students U.S. tuition rates, cost is no longer the barrier it once was. Furthermore, the availability of athletic and academic scholarships, as well as financial aid, has made studying in the United States more attractive and viable than ever before for Canadian students. The environment and culture, both on and off campus, in the United States can offer Canadian students a highly diverse, rich and memorable educational experience. Colleges and universities in the northern states can provide familiar climate conditions and easy access to home for those that want it, whereas institutions in the southern states can offer warmer climates and more independence from parents if that is the desire. Whether a student is looking for artistic and cultural centers, the fast-paced life of a major city, or something in between, the United States has something for everyone.

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The campus experience at a U.S. college or university offers students access to up-to-date technology, small or large classes, and housing on or near campus with fellow students. The teaching style is similar to that offered in Canada with quizzes, midterms, essays, assignments, labs, exams, seminars, and tutorials used as evaluation methods. There are plenty of opportunities for students to interact

with professors, both in and out of the classroom, because the variety and number of academic institutions in the United States often allows for a smaller student-to-teacher ratio. Students are encouraged to participate in classroom discussions and challenge their fellow

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students’ as well as their professors’ arguments. This student-faculty openness is particularly beneficial, and many professors act as mentors to their students. Designated faculty advisors and international student advisors are also common, and provide additional guidance. The transition from Canada to the United States for college or university is relatively painless, with no language barriers to overcome, modern campuses and surrounding cities, and relatively modest travel costs. Similar customs and values minimize culture shock and potential feelings of uncertainty while still allowing for exploration and discovery of the differences that do exist between Americans and Canadians. Local customs, foods, celebrations and a wide variety of regional differences provide opportunities to expand a student’s knowledge of the United States. The U.S. and Canadian education systems share similar structures. As a high school student applying for

undergraduate programs, a student will likely need to complete the SATs, ACTs, and school-specific application forms. Fortunately, an increasing number of schools accept the Common Application, which makes it easier to apply to multiple U.S. Study In Canada • Study Abroad

USA schools. The Common Application Form is similar to the provincial application centers in Canada; but schools across the country use it to facilitate the application process. For a graduate program, the GRE, GMAT, MCAT, or LSAT exam may need to be completed and supplemental information such as personal activities, educational plan, essays, and letters of recommendation may be necessary. As daunting as this may sound, it is entirely manageable for a student who is well organized and communicates with the institutions that he or she will be considering for admission. The academic environment in the United States offers many options: In addition to colleges and universities, either state or privately run, there are two-year colleges, community colleges, professional schools, technical institutes, and religiously affiliated schools. In the United States, the terms “college” and “university” are largely synonymous and interchangeable, and a school’s merit comes from its programs rather than its official title. Generally, the only substantive difference between a college and a university is that 76

Study In Canada • Study Abroad

universities offer graduate programs while colleges do not, although there are many exceptions to this pattern. A common option in the United States is a “2 + 2” course of study. This allows students to save money while still earning a degree from a well-known institution. Many students choose this course by spending their first two years at a two-year college or a community college and then transferring to a larger public or private institution for their final undergraduate years. Typically, during the first two years as an undergraduate in the United States, a student takes a variety of courses from different disciplines and the student specifies a major to make up the bulk of the later portion of his or her studies, although there is still leeway for electives. At the graduate level (Masters and Doctorates), the programs are similar between Canada and the United States; however, in Canada the majority of Ph.D. programs require a Master’s prior to admittance while in the United States there are more Ph.D. programs that accept students directly from the undergraduate level.

A common concern for Canadians studying abroad is the recognition of their degrees once they return to Canada. As part of the evaluation process of potential schools, students should contact the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (www.cicic.ca) and request information on the status and acceptability of the program, institution, and credentials. Organizations such as College Board, Education USA, NAFSA, and StudyUSA can be of assistance to students planning their education at a U.S. institution. For more information on U.S. education and assistance in finding out more about the variety of options available in the United States, contact Luz Betancur at the U.S. Commercial Service in Ottawa at luz.betancur@mail.doc.gov or 613.688.5216. Contributed by: Luz E. Betancur, National Coordinator, Education & Training Initiatives U.S. Commercial Service – U.S. Embassy Ottawa

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The Mount Ida College Experience: From Potential to Achievement

“For me, Mount Ida has pushed me to reach deeper and go farther than I would have ever imagined. I no longer have limits to my success. I have coaches and professors who believe in me, and that kind of support has made me far more conﬁdent on the court and in class.... and I feel good about what I am going to accomplish after I graduate.” Mount Ida College is a comprehensive, affordable college that offers students a rewarding college experience that combines a unique All-College Curriculum with accessible faculty members, a diverse welcoming community and professional internships. The 5 schools that make up Mount Ida College provide a small university academic setting offering more than 25 majors leading to a bachelor or associate degree. Our 72-acre campus is located in suburban Newton, Massachusetts, USA, which has twice been named “America’s Safest City.” Downtown Boston is just eight miles (13km) from our campus.

Thomas Belton ‘11

Sport Management Major Forward, Men’s Varsity Basketball Team

SCHOOL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES SCHOOL OF BUSINESS SCHOOL OF DESIGN NEW ENGLAND INSTITUTE

Mount Ida College 777 Dedham Street Newton, MA 02459 617-928-4553 (phone) admissions@mountida.edu

www.mountida.edu

USA

California

Here I Come!

Study In Canada • Study Abroad

Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

Canadian Student Magazine spoke with Brian Davey, an International Student Advisor at Diablo Valley College (DVC) in the San Francisco Bay area. Brian shares with us his expertise and insights on the state’s colleges and university transfer opportunities. CSM: The University of California is a prestigious name in education. How has it achieved this status? BD: The University of California, or UC as it is often called, is actually one university with ten campuses located throughout the state. Many of the UCs are well-known, especially UC Berkeley and UCLA, which are always in the top ten of any international university ranking. UC San Francisco, a leading medical research university, is considered one of the best medical schools in the world. The other UCs – UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Merced, UC

Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

Riverside, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara and UC Santa Cruz – also feature quite high in the international rankings of universities. Among all ten UC campuses there are over 150 areas of studies, with more departments ranked in the top ten than at any other public or private university in the US. Given this, a degree from UC opens doors, both academic and professional, for its graduates. CSM: Given the prestige of the University of California, is it difficult for a Canadian student to be admitted into first year? BD: It is very difficult. The University of California is a public university and must give admission priority to the top California high school graduates. While all the UCs admit freshman students (first year students) from outside of California, they make up only 2% of the first year population. CSM: So, how can I increase my chances of studying at UC? BD: There is a much better chance of being admitted and graduating from UC if you start your studies at a California Community College

(CCC). To transfer from a two-year Californian community college to a four-year university is often referred to as the 2+2 system: 2 years at a CCC + 2 years at UC = Bachelor Degree. Community college transfer students receive the same degree as if they had studied all four years at UC.

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More and more international students are discovering that beginning their Bachelor degrees at any one of the California Community Colleges is an excellent way to gain admission into one of the prestigious Universities of California.

CSM: What is the guarantee of being admitted into a UC after completing two years at a CCC? BD: Several UCs have an agreement called the Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG), exclusively for California community college students who wish to transfer to UC. This means that when you complete at least 60 credits – typically two academic years – and you achieve the required grade point average and admission requirements, you can be guaranteed a place at one of the UC campuses. CSM: But I can still apply to UC Berkeley or UCLA, right? BD: Absolutely! Over 22% of UC Berkeley students and 31% of UCLA students are transfer students. Given that CCC transfer students are given first priority, the vast majority of transfer students come from CCCs.

Study In Canada • Study Abroad

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CSM: Do the CCCs only have TAGs with the University of California? BD: The CCCs also have transfer agreements with the California State Universities, such as San Francisco State University, San Diego State and San José State University. In addition, many CCCs have transfer agreements with private universities, such as the University of Southern California, the University of San Francisco and the University of the Pacific. CSM: What are the other advantages of studying at a CCC? BD: Starting your degree at a CCC will save you a great deal of money. You can estimate that the current tuition fees at a CCC are just over USD 5,000 per academic year for a full-time student per academic year – not a lot, given that some universities can cost up to four times as much. So starting your degree at a community college can mean a huge cost savings. Another advantage is that at a CCC there are fewer students in each of your classes than at most UCs. The average class size at a CCC ranges from 25-35 students. CSM: What are the academic entry requirements for admission to a CCC? BD: Under the open admissions policy at all the CCCs, basically, you must be a high school graduate or at least 18 years old. Yes, it may sound too good to be true, but part of the mission of the CCCs is to allow most people access to higher education and also offer an affordable pathway to a college degree. A common misconception is that only students who did not get into a good university go to a community college. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Many prominent journalists, business leaders and scientists started their university degree at a community college. Some the bestknown community college alumni include Calvin Klein, Clint Eastwood, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. Also, the Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, started his studies at a CCC. There are approximately 11.6 million students enrolled in Community Colleges in the US, accounting for 46%

Study In Canada • Study Abroad

of all of the undergraduates in the US and 45% of freshmen students (www.aacc.nche.edu). CSM: Are the classes I will be taking at a community college less rigorous than a comparable course at UC? BD: Don’t be fooled by the open admissions policy. Your courses will be challenging and on the same level as any comparable course at UC. CSM: Academically and financially, it sounds like studying at a community college in California is a good choice for students from Canada and around the world. Any further comments? BD: There are a lot of study choices out there and the community college route may not be the best study option for all students; but I can tell you from a personal point of view, it certainly worked for me. Since I had no idea what I wanted to study and thought it would be impossible to get accepted to a UC, I decided the best thing would be to take a year off, which I did, and work to save some money. After a few

months I quickly realized that without a university degree I was not going to go far in life. So I enrolled in DVC in my hometown of Pleasant Hill, and after two years at the college I was admitted to UC Berkeley. Without the opportunity to start my degree at a community college, I would have never been admitted into UC Berkeley. CSM: Hey....isn’t DVC where you work now? BD: You are quite right. Who would have known then that I would end up working for a community college in my hometown? I certainly feel like I am qualified! CSM: You certainly are. Thank you for your time. BD: Thank you; my pleasure. Contact Brian Davey: brianjondavey@gmail.com Useful websites: Diablo Valley College www.dvc.edu UC Transfer Information www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/ undergrad_adm/paths_to_adm/transfer.html American Association of Community Colleges www.aacc.nche.edu

Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

FFOOTHILL OOTHILL++ + OOTHILL DDEEEAAANZA NZA NZA ininSilicon SiliconValley Valley California California 22

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Located Locatedininworld-famous world-famousSilicon SiliconValley Valley- 45 - 45min. min. south southofofSan San Inspirational Inspirationaltransfer transferopportunities opportunitiesinto into3rd 3rdyear yearatatprestipresti+ + + + Located in world-famous Silicon Valley - 45 min. south of San Inspirational transfer opportunities into 3rd year at prestiFranciscoclose closetotoApple Apple, Yahoo, , Yahoo, Google Googleand and6,000 6,000tech techfirms firms +gious + Francisco giousuniversities universitieslike likeUCLA, UCLA, UCUCBerkeley, Berkeley, UCUCSanta SantaCruz, Cruz, Francisco close to Apple , Yahoo, Google and 6,000 tech firms gious universities like UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz, USC, USC, Columbia, Columbia, Stanford, Stanford, Cornell Cornelland andmany manyothers others Over Over 100 100 university university transfer transfer majors majors from from business, business, animation, animation, USC, Columbia, Stanford, Cornell and many others + + Over 100 university transfer majors from business, animation, TOEFLrequired requiredscore score- 500 - 500(173 (173CBT CBToror6161IBT); IBT);nonoSAT; SAT; + biotechnology biotechnologytotoIT,IT, nanoscience, nanoscience, GIS GISand andtravel travelcareers; careers; +++TOEFL TOEFL required score - 500 (173 CBT or 61 IBT); no SAT; biotechnology to IT, nanoscience, GIS and travel careers; flexible flexible admission admission 3 times 3 times a year a year Instructor Instructornamed namedCalifornia CaliforniaProfessor Professorofofthe theYear Year flexible admission 3 times a year Instructor named California Professor of the Year Internship, Internship,Campus CampusAbroad Abroad& &Honors HonorsPrograms Programs 2,000 2,000 international international students students from from 100 100 countries countries + + + + Internship, Campus Abroad & Honors Programs 2,000 international students from 100 countries + + www.international.fhda.edu www.international.fhda.edu

www.international.fhda.edu

USA

Washington State A World Leader in Education

David Woodward

the weather is dry and sunny, and the region produces huge amounts of agricultural products like wheat, apples, and world-class wines. On the west side is the coastal shore, the rain forest of the Olympic Peninsula, and the inland salt water of Puget Sound, surrounded by greenery year round.

Why should you consider studying in Washington State? Is there something special about this particular state? In fact, there is. Washington State is about 175,000 square kilometers in size (20th largest in the U.S.) and is located on the Pacific Ocean and bordered on the north by the Canadian province of British Columbia. Because of this size and location, Washington has an amazing combination of weather, types of land, waters and forests of every kind, and fantastic scenery. On the east side, the wide open land is filled with farms with livestock and orchards,

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But the land itself is just part of the story. Due to the fact that the Seattle area has the nation’s youngest and most educated population overall, Washington State is a place of fast-paced growth tied directly into the world economy through trade, direct international airline routes, and immigrant populations, as well as Native Americans, who together speak over 120 languages – more than in any other state. So the people of Washington State are a microcosm and are tied to the world. These factors combine to make the society in Washington State very open minded and sophisticated. This is certainly connected to the success of Washington State’s most famous global companies such as Microsoft, Boeing, Amazon, Starbucks, Costco and Weyerhaeuser. These

companies draw on a very talented pool of professionals, business people, educators, community leaders, and young people to keep innovating and growing. And these people come from all over the world to contribute to this dynamic hub of activity. For a student interested in coming to Washington State, the most important thing to know is that in this region you can find any and every type of opportunity to study and succeed in your educational pathway. Washington State’s educational opportunities at the college and university level are world class and at the same time very accessible. The educators across the state cooperate to help international students find the best pathway. This cooperation is represented by the association called Study Washington. Over 40 institutes, colleges, and universities in Washington State are members of this association, which is dedicated to representing all the educational opportunities of our state as a coordinated group. As a result, those who work with international students in these organizations know one another and we do our best

Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

USA ÂŠ Ben Goode - Stockxpert.com

to make sure each student is given the best support possible. If you come to Washington State youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find that the land and the people together make this a place youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll love forever. Washington State is half way between Europe and East Asia, and is becoming a major hub for global business of every kind. Because of the open attitude of the people, world leaders increasingly make sure to visit â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and frequently they stop in to see Bill Gates, of course!

BASTYR CHANGED MY LIFE a * ]V E R EALLY

And even though the area is full of high-tech businesses, and research innovation in agriculture and global health among many disciplines, the pace of life is actually very relaxed. Many leaders do not wear a tie at work, and people take the time to say hello on the street. Maybe itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s because everyone has a laptop so they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to rush to the officeâ&#x20AC;Ś!

F LOURISHED HER E b

To learn more about the many educational choices available in Washington State, please visit the website at www.studywashington.org. You will find information about Study Washington member schools, with additional links directly to college websites.

Anna Evershed student

Contributed by: David B. Woodward President, A.C.E. Language Institutes & Co-Chair-Elect of Study Washington www.studywashington.org contact@studywashington.org

September 2008 â&#x20AC;˘ Issue: 1

Read Annaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s story:

flourish.bastyr.edu

Health Psychology â&#x20AC;˘ Exercise Science & Wellness Herbal Sciences â&#x20AC;˘ Naturopathic Medicine Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine â&#x20AC;˘ Nutrition

More than 100 Associate Degree More than 100 Associate Degree and Certificate Programs in: and Certificate Programs in: HOSPITALITY & TOURISM MANAGEMENT HOSPITALITY & TOURISM MANAGEMENT NURSING NURSING CULINARY ARTS CULINARY ARTS MOTION PICTURE/TV PRODUCTION MOTION PICTURE/TV PRODUCTION BUSINESS BUSINESS COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS And more… And more…

LEARN. LEARN.GROW. GROW. ACHIEVE. ACHIEVE.

r r Accredited Accredited2–year 2–yearcollege collegeininsunny sunnyArizona Arizona

r r Small Smallclasses classes

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r r Nearby Nearbyoutdoor outdoorrecreation, recreation,nightlife, nightlife,and andshopping shopping

r r No Noapplication applicationfee fee

r r A Aday–drive day–drivetotoCalifornia Californiaand andMexico Mexico

r r No NoSAT SATrequirement requirement

AAMaricopa MaricopaCommunity CommunityCollege College

ied@sccmail.maricopa.edu ied@sccmail.maricopa.edu www.scottsdalecc.edu/ied www.scottsdalecc.edu/ied Phone Phone +1.480.423.6590 +1.480.423.6590 Fax Fax +1.480.423.6099 +1.480.423.6099 Scottsdale Scottsdale Community Community College College International International Education Education Programs Programs 9000 9000 East East Chaparral Chaparral Road Scottsdale, Scottsdale, AZ AZ 85256–2626 85256–2626 U.S.A.

PROFILE

ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY School/Institution Name: Arkansas State University Institution Type(s) : University Public / Private: Public Special Features of the Location: Jonesboro, Arkansas • Fastest growing city in Arkansas • Fifth largest city in Arkansas • Cost of living is 27% lower than the national average • Center for education, manufacturing, agriculture and trade • Convenience of a big city with the comfort of a small town • Only one hour away from Memphis, Tennessee and its international airport • Easy driving distance to Little Rock, Nashville, St. Louis, Huntsville, and Jackson • Moderate climate is perfect for outdoor activities year-round

Arkansas State University (ASU) is committed to opening the doors of academic excellence in a safe, affordable, caring environment. ASU is big enough to provide a complete university experience with over 11,000 students, 250 academic concentrations, options and programs. ASU is small enough so that you will be recognized as a name, rather than a number. This personal touch is obtained with small classes and low faculty-student ratios. ASU’s faculty members hold the highest possible degree in their field and are recognized leaders in their academic areas. They have authored books, published articles in professional journals, made advances in research, and discovered innovative teaching methods. Academic Excellence • Internationally recognized public research institution • Associate’s, Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees • More than 250 programs, concentrations and options • Faculty hold the highest academic degrees in their field Direct Entrance from ESL • No TOEFL or IELTS requirement for ESL graduates • Access to all ASU facilities, services, and events • Live on campus with an American roommate • GMAT and GRE preparation courses Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

Affordable Tuition and Cost of Living • Estimated annual cost of USD 15,000 including tuition, fees, room and meals • Monthly payment options available • Cost of living is 27% less than the U.S. average • Academic and performance scholarship opportunities Caring and Supportive Environment • On-campus housing options within walking distance to shops • NCAA Division I Athletics and over 200 student organizations • Free career and job placement assistance • 24-hour emergency assistance provided by university staff Perfect Size and Location • Considered one of the safest cities in the United States • Free airport transfer service from Memphis International Airport • Only one hour by automobile from Memphis and a few hours to Little Rock, St. Louis, and Nashville • On-campus medical center and two full-service hospitals in the community

Programs Offered : • College of Agriculture and Technology • College of Business • College of Communications • College of Education • College of Engineering • College of Fine Arts • College of Humanities & Social Sciences • College of Nursing & Health Professions • College of Sciences & Mathematics

Total Number of Students: 11000 Total Number of International Students: 250 Accommodation Options: On Campus: Residence Halls, Student Apartments, Family and Married Student Apartments. Many nearby off-campus options. Student Life: • NCAA Division I Athletics and over 200 student organizations • Free job placement assistance • 24-hour emergency assistance provided by International Programs • Jonesboro is one of the safest cities in the U.S. • Airport transfer service from Memphis International • One hour drive from Memphis and a few hours to Little Rock, St. Louis, and Nashville • On-campus medical center and two full service hospitals • Nationally-recognized Student Union

Contact Details: Arkansas State University International Programs 2108 East Aggie Road P.O. Box 2230 Jonesboro, AR 72401 U.S.A. Telephone: +1 (870) 972-2329 Email: international@astate.edu Web site: www.astate.edu/international

Study In Canada • Study Abroad

ÂŠ Rostislavv - Fotolia.com

USA

Internship Opportunities

The Washington Centre

Since its creation in 1975, nearly 40,000 domestic and international students have participated in The Washington Center for Internship and Academic Seminars (TWC) program. Over the last ten years more than 300 of these students were Canadians coming to the US capital mainly to further their professional development, very often with the financial help of their academic institution or provincial government. TWC is an independent, nonprofit organization serving hundreds of colleges and universities by providing selected students challenging opportunities to work and learn in Washington, DC for academic credit. The largest such program, its more than 70 full-time staff are dedicated to preparing the leaders of tomorrow.

Study In Canada â&#x20AC;˘ Study Abroad

Fall/Winter 2008 â&#x20AC;˘ Issue: 1

The Canadian adventure officially started in 1997 with Laval University in Québec City before expanding to the rest of the province and then to New Brunswick, Alberta and Ontario, who all participated in building strong ties with TWC and provide the financial means for exceptional students who want to take part in the program. If the initiative is so successful in Canada, it’s thanks to the hard work and perseverance of the Managing Director of TWC, Mr. Peter Stephens, who is determined to make this transformational experience available to Canadian students. According to Peter, “The most important aspect of what we do at TWC is to provide access to senior policy-makers here in DC for ‘outside the beltway’ people like me to build students’ careers, form professional networks, and sharpen their skills and abilities.” Students have the chance to intern in organizations such as Merrill Lynch, the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars, the InterAmerican Development Bank, the Commission on Labor Cooperation, the US Small Business Administration, Amnesty International, and many more (TWC has built relationships with over 3,000 organizations in DC and its surroundings). Additionally, students

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can choose to attend one of dozens of conferences and discussions offered during the semester, not to mention high-profile events in embassies or on Capitol Hill. Most of the Canadian students who come to Washington for a semester express that one of their goals is to compare and contrast both societies in terms of political institutions, economic systems or societal values. With Trudeau’s image of the elephant and the mouse in mind, they take on the role of ambassador and attempt to educate their southern neighbour on what life up there looks like. A recurring cultural shock which happens at the beginning of each semester is when Canadian students insist on trying to recycle everything, to the confusion of some of their US roommates. It is a mutually beneficial experience where they leave with a better understanding of what they have in common and how they are different. At the end of the ten to fifteen weeks, Canadians very often return home with a stronger national identity. This experiential way of learning allows them to go beyond the theories and concepts learned in a classroom setting: “The hands-on nature of the program has provided me with numerous opportunities to learn and grow personally in ways not possible in a classroom situation,” recognized Emily MacDougall of Queen’s University. The internship is not the only situation where they can learn, as underlined by Jean-François Séguin of Sherbrooke University: “When I was not working or attending events organized by TWC, I visited museums, political institutions and historic monuments[…] I improved my English but also my Spanish, […] talked about hope in Latin America and development in Asia […].” The accessibility-level of most public figures and other decision-makers

is also something you wouldn’t find in Ottawa. For example, it is not uncommon to run into personalities such as Madeleine Albright, Bill or Hillary Clinton, Newt Gingrich and Jeffrey Sachs, or to be able to listen to a speech by Barack Obama, Al Gore, George W. Bush, Bernard Kouchner or the Dalai Lama.

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Leadership is one of the three main pillars of TWC but we also focus on the professional development of the students by helping them find an internship with a non-profit, forprofit, international or governmental organization in exchange for academic credits as established with their academic institution. In addition to leadership and professional achievement, there is also a strong focus on civic engagement and the students are expected to work for a cause they really care about, to be engaged as well as engage other citizens.

This summer, TWC created another opportunity to grow the relationship deeper by sending four American students anxious to improve their French language skills to undertake a substantial internship in one of Québec’s ministries. The launch of the program coincided with the 400th anniversary of Québec City, giving them the chance to partake in the cultural festivities. This new initiative was the result of years of cooperation between TWC and the Office of the Government of Québec in Washington. It is not impossible to imagine similar programs with other provinces in the future. We are glad to have been able to provide an opportunity for hundreds of Canadian students to participate in TWC program: The goal is not only to increase the number of students who can take advantage of the know-how and experience of our organization, but more importantly, to make it accessible to any Canadian student who would like to participate, regardless of their financial means or the province or territory they come from. Contributed by: Sonia Ziadé Senior Program Advisor, NAFTA/Americas Program (Honors) Program Coordinator, Canadian Initiatives The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars www.twc.edu info@twc.edu A native of Montréal, Sonia Ziadé completed her studies at McGill and Laval University and is now Senior Program Advisor at TWC as well as Coordinator of Canadian Initiatives. She is also an alumna of TWC.

Study In Canada • Study Abroad

ETATS-UNIS

for Internships and Academic Seminars

Depuis sa création en 1975, près de 40 000 étudiants ont participé au programme du Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars (TWC). Parmi ceux-ci, plus de 300 étudiants universitaires Canadiens ont eu la chance de développer leurs connaissances et aptitudes professionnelles dans la capitale américaine et ce pour la plupart avec l’aide financière de leur institution académique ou de leur gouvernement provincial. TWC est une organisation à but nonlucratif qui permet aux étudiants de

Study In Canada • Study Abroad

haut niveau la chance de prendre part à un stage au sein d’entreprises dans un milieu international très dynamique, en plus de s’impliquer au niveau civique et de suivre un cours académique, le tout en échange d’un nombre de crédits académiques établit par leur université d’origine. En plus des stages, les étudiants seront regulièrement appelés à échanger avec des décideurs de tous les milieux, selon leurs intérêts. Par ailleurs, les étudiants sont logés dans les appartements fournit par

TWC et vivront en compagnie de trois autres étudiants du programme provenant d’un peu partout dans le monde. L’expérience canadienne a officiellement commencé en 1997 avec l’Université Laval au Québec avant de s’étendre à toute la province, puis au NouveauBrunswick, à l’Alberta et à l’Ontario qui ont tous accepté de s’associer à TWC et de supporter financièrement nombre de leurs étudiants voulant participer au programme. Si cette

Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

En plus de pouvoir effectuer des stages dans des organisations telles que l’Ambassade du Canada, Merrill Lynch, le Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars, la Banque de Développement Inter-Américaine, la Commission de Coopération dans le domaine du travail, la US Small Business Administration, Amnestie Internationale et j’en passe (TWC travaille avec plus de 3000 organisations dans la région de la capitale nationale), les étudiants peuvent choisir d’assister à une certain nombre parmi les dizaines de conférences offertes tout au long de la session, sans compter les invitations à des événements mondains, notamment dans les ambassades ou sur Capitol Hill. La plupart des étudiants canadiens qui atterrissent à Washington pour une session clament que l’un de leur but principal est de comparer les deux

sociétés au niveau des institutitions politiques, du système économique et des valeurs, par exemple. Ils se font en même temps ambassadeurs du Canada et se donnent parfois comme mission d’éduquer leurs compatriotes du Sud sur leur voisin d’en haut. Un exemple du choc culturel récurrent, est lorsque qu’en début de session les étudiants canadiens s’obstinent à vouloir tout recycler, souvent à l’étonnement de leurs colocataires américains. Ils repartent avec une meilleure idée de ce qu’ils ont en commun et de ce qui les distinguent. A la fin des dix à quinze semaines passées à Washington, l’identité nationale canadienne en est souvent renforcée. Ce qui ressort également des témoignages est à quel point cet apprentissage expérientiel leur permet d’aller au-delà des théories et concepts appris en classe, comme que le décrit si bien James Rogers: «le programme de TWC m’a donné l’opportunité de mettre en pratique dans un contexte professionnel ce que j’ai appris dans le programme d’études nord-américaines à McGill. D’un bon étudiant à l’école, je suis devenu un jeune professionel confiant.» Le niveau d’accessibilité de la plupart des figures publiques est également hors du commun dans cet environnement international effervescent. Par exemple, il n’est pas rare pour nos étudiants de rencontrer des personnalités telles que Madeleine Albright, Bill ou Hillary Clinton, Newt Gingrich et Jeffrey Sachs, ou d’assister à des discours par Barack Obama,

Al Gore, George W. Bush, Bernard Kouchner ou le Dalai Lama.

ETATS-UNIS

initiative a autant de succès au Canada, c’est grâce au travail ardu et à l’acharnement du Managing Director de TWC, Monsieur Peter Stephens, originaire de Terre-Neuve, qui tenait rendre à cette expérience transformationnelle disponible à de jeunes canadiens prometteurs. Selon Peter, «l’aspect le plus important de ce que nous faisons à TWC est de permettre l’accès à de hauts fonctionnaires pour les individus normalement tenus hors du cercle des décisions, comme moi-même, d’aider les étudiants à bâtir leur carrière à travers un réseau professionel accrû et leur permettre d’accentuer leurs aptitudes et habiletés.»

Au-delà du stage et des activités éducatives organisées par TWC, l’étudiant devra également choisir parmi une quarantaine de cours offerts par TWC et donnés par des professeurs hautement qualifiés. Enfin, l’engagement civique étant l’un des piliers du programme, il est important que nos futurs leaders consacrent une partie de leur temps pour une cause sociale qui leur tient à cœur. Washington DC et ses environs offrent d’ailleurs une multitude d’opportunités pour les étudiants de s’engager auprès de différentes causes et d’encourager leur entourage à s’impliquer également. Cet été TWC tentait une nouvelle expérience en permettant à quatre étudiantes américaines voulant développer leurs aptitudes en langue française de faire un stage substantiel dans divers ministères québécois. Le lancement du programme coicindait d’ailleurs avec le 400ième anniversaire de Québec permettant aux stagiaires de participer aux activités culturelles. L’aventure a été rendue possible grâce à la relation de confiance qu’a bâtie TWC avec le Bureau du Gouvernement du Québec à Washington au fil des années. Il n’est d’ailleurs pas exclu d’étendre le programme à d’autres provinces dans le futur. Si nous sommes très heureux d’avoir déjà pu offrir l’opportunité à des centaines d’étudiants canadiens de participer au programme de TWC, le but est non seulement d’accroître le nombre d’étudiants pouvant profiter savoir-faire et de l’expérience du Centre, mais surtout de rendre le programme accessible à tous les étudiants canadiens qui désireraient y participer et ce peu importe leurs moyens financiers ou leur province d’origine. Par: Sonia Ziadé Senior Program Advisor, NAFTA/Americas Program (Honors) Program Coordinator, Canadian Initiatives The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars www.twc.edu info@twc.edu Sonia Ziadé, originaire de Montréal, a complété ses études à McGill et à l’Université Laval et est aujourd’hui conseillère senior à TWC ainsi que coordonatrice des programmes canadiens. Elle est également une alumna de TWC.

Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

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THE

MBA TODAY 90

Study In Canada • Study Abroad

Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

In addition to developing strong technical skills, today’s managers must be able to influence people, interact with other departments, and negotiate with individuals from all walks of life. An MBA is likely to be a step in the right direction. Today’s managers must know how each part of their company relates to others and fits within the whole, how the company competes, and how it should compete. With the disappearance of much of middle management, this sort of knowledge is becoming increasing crucial at all levels – and is even more important in smaller organizations.

What an MBA Offers A good business program offers skills not ordinarily mastered on the job, such as finance, statistics, and managerial economics. In addition, an MBA program will show how different functions operate and are related, how companies in different industries compete, and how they manage in different environments. A good program does all this by being, in part, a boot camp for managers. Most programs require that students have had several years’ work experience before beginning the course, and they subsequently draw upon it in their studies. Students are drilled in the basics, are forced to crunch through massive amounts of material, learn to cooperate and compete with a broad spectrum of colleagues, and live life at a fast pace. Of course, the graduate gains more than just a set of skills and attitudes. The reputation and connections of the school, along with a hard-working career services department, will help

him or her gain an appropriate job. The school’s alumni network and any professional contacts will be long-term assets, as will the MBA qualification itself on a CV (résumé). MBA Resources There are literally hundreds of different MBA programs to choose from today, and each brings something new to the table. MBA candidates are now able to acquire information on MBA programs in a variety of ways. Sixty per cent of pre-MBAs say they use the Internet as their number one resource for learning about business and getting information about earning an MBA, according to a recent survey by The MBA Tour. Today more than ever, pre-MBAs are looking to their peers online to find information on MBA programs. Social networking websites and blogs have created the perfect platform for an exchange of information to take place. Such information is considered to be most trusted by pre-MBAs. MBA fairs also prove to be a helpful resource when deciding on the perfect MBA program. In Canada, there are

Not long ago, key purchasers of MBAs criticized leading programs for turning out overly theoretical graduates who were unable to make things happen and were unaware of the increasingly international dimension of business. The response has been profound. Many schools now attempt to make their training more relevant to actual business and global realities. The new curricula increasingly seek to achieve greater course integration, offer courses in soft skills – leadership,

communication, and negotiation – and develop modern teaching methods.

Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

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several MBA and Graduate studies fairs across the country, offering independent and high-quality MBA information. These events enable MBA candidates, working professionals, and recent graduates to participate in interactive panels, consult business school representatives, learn what makes each business school unique, and understand the difference between general and specialized MBA programs. Teaching Methods Several types of teaching are widely used throughout business schools:

• Computer simulations and in-

company projects are relatively recent additions to most business schools’ teaching • The traditional lecture method, in which students listen to professors and take copious notes, remains popular • The case-method approach, which has long been the primary teaching vehicle at Harvard, Darden, Ivey (Western Ontario),

IESE, and numerous other schools, continues to dominate business school education. Case study typically prepares students with an unstructured (and thus potentially very realistic) situation. They are expected to determine what the critical issues facing an organization are, as well as how best to analyze and resolve them. It is particularly well suited to interdisciplinary study, which encourages the formation of student teams of mixed educational and career backgrounds. The Workload Top-quality MBAs demand a remarkable amount of work. During the first year of a two-year program (or the first two-thirds of a one-year program), the workload is particularly heavy. This is because the schools try to teach all of the major functional areas of business, plus key skills such as communication, leadership, and teamwork. The second year (or last third of a one-year program) is less intense, both because students have learned how to play the business school “game” and because they are permitted to take elective courses that are generally less demanding than are the core courses (and more suited to their interests and skills).

No work experience requirement Fifty $3000 scholarships available

-$1000 each semester, resulting in eligibility for in-state tuition -Renewable for up to three semesters

Contact Us Today: Graduate Services Center, Lubbock, TX USA 79409-2101 Tel: 1-800-882-6220 Fax: 1-806 742-3958 E-mail: mba@ttu.edu Web: http://mba.ba.ttu.edu Also, ask about our MS, MSA and PhD programs

Another important reason for the time pressure in the MBA program is to simulate the grueling workload of a senior executive or entrepreneur. The heavy workload also forces students to manage their

time effectively, as they would in any senior managerial position. They learn to determine efficiently which bits of work to do, which to glance at, and which to ignore. Furthermore, the demands of the program also encourage the students to study in groups, which develops teamwork skills – another quality that programs explicitly wish to foster. The MBA Payoff Several of the major rankings of MBA programs evaluate the financial implications of pursuing an MBA at one school rather than another. Forbes magazine, in its biannual survey, calculates the financial returns of attending various business schools around the world. It looks at how many years are required to earn back school tuition (and related expenses) and income forgone – ‘’years to payback.’’ Part of this calculation depends upon the salary before and after taking an MBA. The average graduate of the 85 schools included in the survey nearly tripled his or her pre-MBA salary as of five years after graduation. The Financial Times’ annual ranking charts the annual progress of graduates of 100 leading business schools’ full-time MBA programs. One of its criteria is the percentage increase in salary from the beginning of the MBA to three years after graduation. At 73 out of the 100 schools, the increase was 100% or more. In other words, within three years of graduation, the average graduate was earning more than double his or her pre-MBA pay. These are by no means the only sources of useful salary data. For instance, U.S. News & World Report, which focuses on American programs, lists the average starting salary and bonus of the most recent graduating class for its annual rankings. What’s in it for me? The London Business School recognizes two main reasons why students pursue MBAs: some people are ‘‘verticals,” who wish to climb the career ladder in their current field, and others are “transitionals,” who wish to change fields. Breaking things down September 2008 • Issue: 1

The MBA has become a prerequisite for many of the world’s most desirable jobs, as firms in many industries seek people with the managerial skills and understanding necessary to drive their business forward. In addition, most people feel that they have lived life more intensely at business school, met the most interesting people they have ever known, and formed their closest friendships there. So, for many ambitious people in their 20s and 30s (and even 40s), it is no longer a question of whether to get an MBA, but of which program will best serve them – and how to get in.

further, MBA applicants cite a host of additional motivations, including:

• An increased salary • A desire to manage others, rather

than just oneself • Greater intellectual challenges and interesting experiences • An improved network of contacts • Developing the skills to start and run a business • Learning to manage a current technical or artistic field • Extended regional or foreign work opportunities These well-known rankings consider financial success from a number of perspectives: starting salary, salary three years post-MBA, salary five years post-MBA, and time required to earn back the money (and forgone income) invested in an MBA. The conclusion in each case is clear. Attending a good quality, full-time MBA program is likely to be a very sensible career move, given that typical graduates Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

increase their earnings dramatically by attending any of dozens upon dozens of programs. The conclusion regarding leading part-time programs is likely to be more pronounced. Even though there is less data available regarding them, the fact that students continue to work and draw a salary throughout such programs makes it obvious that they, too, pay off. Is it all Worth it? So, is an MBA worth the substantial investment in tuition and forgone income it represents? Although not everyone will be financially better off with an MBA, most will be, particularly if they attend the top programs. It would be a mistake, however, to base a decision purely on financial considerations. The payoff also comes from increased career options, confidence, security, and status.

Still, for some people, an MBA may not be an appropriate step. For example, if you just need to learn basic financial principles, you might be better off pursuing a Master’s degree in finance. But if you want to be a better manager, progress rapidly in your current company, start your own business, change functions, give yourself better career options, or just earn more money, an MBA is likely to be a sensible investment. Contributed by: Mr. Richard Montauk Author of How to Get Into the Top MBA Programs; he can be contacted at rmontauk@aol.com. Richard Montauk, author of How to Get Into the Top MBA Programs (Prentice Hall; 4th ed. 2007) and longtime editor of Hobson’s Global MBA Guide (London), is the dean of MBA admissions consultants. He received a B.A. from Brown University, an M.S. in Finance, and a J.D. from Stanford University. He formerly worked as a corporate lawyer for Latham & Watkings, then as a corporate strategy consultant for Bain & Co., before starting his admissions consulting firm in 1991. He can be reached at rmontauk@aol.com .

Study In Canada • Study Abroad

Do you see an MBA in your future?

The most renowned International Business Schools invite you to a unique MBA event. Vancouver +

International experience is becoming crucial to success in the global business environment. Expand your horizons and take this opportunity to explore an international education.

Thursday, November 6, 2008 Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre 999 Canada Place, Suite 200 Vancouver, B.C. V6C 3C1

Toronto *

Saturday, November 8, 2008

» Participate in interactive panels with alumni and Admissions Directors

Metro Toronto Convention Centre 255 Front Street West Toronto, Ontario M5V 2W6

» Attend individual business school presentations and match your interests to program options

Montréal +

» Mingle with business school representatives and alumni » Identify the advantages of pursuing your MBA and creating a global network

Monday, November 10, 2008 Centre Mont-Royal 2200, rue Mansfield Montréal, Quebec H3A 3R8 + Evening Event Schedule: 17:00 Registration Opens 17:30-18:40 Panel Sessions: “How Admissions Decisions are Made” and “Managing Your MBA Career” 18:50-19:20 Alumni Panels 19:30-21:30 MBA Fair

* Daytime Event Schedule:

For a list of participating b-schools, conference schedule and to register to attend, visit www.TheMBATour.com Event registration fees: $5 CAD Pre-Register Online $10 CAD On-Site Registration- Cash Only!

11:00 12:00-12:30 12:40-14:45 15:00-17:00

Registration Opens Panel Session: How Admissions Decisions are Made Concurrent School Presentations MBA Fair

Ride the Wave of the New Global Economy In the new global economy, millions of cross-border relationships are taking place in all sectors of the economy. A new workforce is emerging to manage these relationships and they have a new currency – a clearly definable set of “international work skills.” Are you preparing yourself for this new global reality?

As a university student you can take control of your life and work towards building an exciting international career in the field of your choice. Imagine working for UNESCO in Paris, on an AIDS project in Togo, as a foreign trade intern at an embassy in Madrid, or as a student in Copenhagen. Whether you spend a lifetime working and living overseas or you go abroad just once, you should actively consider taking the plunge. There are thousands of international opportunities available and you can get started on an international career by building relevant experience now, while still at school. Why? Because going international is just plain hot! So read on and consider this: 96

Study In Canada • Study Abroad

If you want to participate in this new economy, you need to build crosscultural experience while at university. By doing this, you will be prepared for the emerging job market. Whatever their background, most international employees start their careers in the same place: they study abroad, learn a foreign language, travel extensively, intern abroad, and take international courses. The lesson here is that you need to gain exposure to other cultures so that you can become proficient in dealing with people who have a different perspective than you. Here are 18 ways to gain international experience and start building your international personality:

Gain International Experience At Home While Studying At University 1. Study something international: Take a course with an international focus in your field or in a completely separate field. Having three or four internationally-focused courses looks great on a résumé. 2. Join multi-ethnic student work teams: Choose international students to complete projects within all your courses. This is a valuable and easy way to show employers that you have been successful and have experience in a cross-cultural work environment. 3. Target foreign students in your classes for friendship: Have coffees with them regularly and you will learn much about their cultural habits; be surprised when you find yourself leaning more about your own culture. As your relationship progresses, join foreign students in social events, invite them to visit your family, and try to visit them in their home country, perhaps on Christmas break. 4. Join international clubs and gain awareness of the workings of international organizations: There are many student groups on campus with a specific international focus. Take on positions of leadership and begin gaining experience managing programs in an international setting. Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

5. Develop your international I.Q.: You need to have an international understanding of the social, political, and economic aspects which affect the world. Read international magazines and learn to name the 193 countries in the world. 6. Network internationally: Find internationally-focused people who can open doors for you. Associate yourself with professors doing international research. Write inquisitively to international experts who have impressed you. Plan to write essays that require you to engage in conversations with NGO managers or civil servants at the provincial and federal levels in your field. Call up a long lost cousin who is abroad and get yourself invited to stay with him/her for a semester abroad.

Go Abroad While Studying At University 7. Study at least one semester abroad: This is an absolute must. To make this first step easier, pair up with a friend and go abroad together. Go abroad in your third to fifth semester in an eight-semester/four-year program. If in a Masters Program, you have even greater academic flexibility to take time off for travel abroad while completing your degree. 8. Apply for international scholarships and bursaries: There are more of these available than you would first expect. 9. Take a gap year off for international travel: Don’t hesitate to take one year off while completing a four-year university program or just after graduating. If financing your trip is an issue, work six months and then travel for six months. Save money by combining traveling or language learning after a semester studying abroad. 10. Join a short-term volunteerabroad program: There are hundreds of programs, each providing opportunities to travel and learn. Many programs also provide opportunities to build leadership skills. All of these experiences are valuable. 11. Participate in international conferences: Help organize or volunteer at academic conferences on your university campus and search the web for opportunities with international conferences in your city. 12. Network while overseas with people who work and live internationally: Research and organize your networking strategy

Fall/Winter 2008 • Issue: 1

on the internet and through acquaintances who can put you in contact with diplomats or international business people. Visit their offices, take tours of historical and political sites, volunteer with international organizations, and make contact with expatriate clubs.

Gain Professional International Experience After Studying At University 13. Intern abroad: Don’t miss out on the many fantastic international internship opportunities sponsored by private business, international organizations, foundations, volunteer agencies, and governments. And don’t forget about the often successful strategy of creating your own selfguided international internship. 14. Extend your stay abroad by organizing a junior consulting position after your internship or study abroad experience: Entice international employers and consultants by selling your knowledge of local contacts and host-country cross-cultural knowledge. 15. Teach English overseas and use this as a stepping-stone to other international jobs: There are tens of thousands of Canadians and Americans teaching English abroad. With over one billion people wanting to learn English, you can easily go abroad to teach English in the country of your choice and work your way into your field of expertise. For example, if you are a business student, upgrade your teaching job to teach business English and you will meet business people who can employ you. Others have done the same teaching science in English, music in English, and technical English, to name but a few possibilities. 16. Learn another language and culture with a full immersion study abroad program: For less than it costs to lie around on your parents’ couch for four months, you could move to the wonderful city of Antigua in Guatemala, live with a local family, and have a full-time, one-on-one language instructor to teach you Spanish. And presto! In four months your life is changed forever: you have become fully functional in Spanish. For a little more you can learn French in Québec City; or for even less, in Cameroon. 17. Do not underestimate the value of backpacking for six months: While traveling the world and interacting closely with people from

other countries, you will learn the skills required to be international and capture the interest of international employers. 18. Travel and backpack as a cross-cultural traveler and gain professional experience: Try visiting organizations related to your field. For example, an environmental student could offer to translate a trail guide for an eco-tourism business into English; a business student may easily set up Quicken Accounting software for a non-governmental organization; an engineer can visit a mining site; and almost anyone can offer to teach Word or Excel to a third-world NGO.

The Essentials Experience has shown that those who are successful at finding international work have all done something a little extraordinary to land that first job. They have gone out on a limb, acted boldly (but politely), been entrepreneurial, sacrificed certainty and taken risks to gain international experience and obtain that great job. You can prove to international employers that you have what it takes simply by being curious and having fun while abroad. You may find many excuses for not going abroad, but in the final analysis there are many more reasons to go abroad than to sit around at home doing the same old thing. Get out there and enjoy the world. Contributed by: Jean-Marc Hachey Author and Publisher: The BIG Guide to Living and Working Overseas Intercultural Systems / Systèmes Interculturels (ISSI) Inc. jmhachey@workingoverseas.com www.WorkingOverseas.com

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English-French Crossworld Puzzle/Anglais-Français Mots Croisés 1

1 5 10 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 24 26 27 29 30 33 34 35 36 37

DOWN

SUDOKU 2

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9 5

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 18 23 25 26 27 28 29

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Star Wars Knight Poems; poems Naïve Criminal charge Two-horned Proverb; proverb Penpoints Fraud Coming forth Toll Registration Glower Actor John, “A Foreign Affair” Fool; fool Lead in to while Commedia dell’ ____ Happening Goofed Rest; rest Negative atom; negative atom

38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 47 48 50 51 54 55 58 59 60 61 62 63

Mark of injury Latin “is” Base Greedy Agnus ___ Door policy Linked wear Yield Riviera dwelling; Riviera dwelling Mountain climber Summit Opener of “la la” refrain Actor Jacques Hawking sportsman Prefix for board or coat Purple flower Quotation Play in water Extreme; extreme Singles

31 32 34 37 38 40 41 44 46 47 48 49 50 52 53 56 57

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How to play Sudoku?

In any order: • every row of nine numbers must include all digits, 1 through 9 • every column of nine numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 • every three by three subsection of the full nine by nine square must include all digits 1 through 9

8 8

9 9

Test your English and French skills. Clues in regular font are for English words and those in italic are for French solutions. Bon chance!

ACROSS

For the solutions, see www.GoStudy.ca/puzzles

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